Germany backs Macron’s call for ‘true European army’

President wins support of Merkel as Trump goads France over US assistance in Second World War

Henry Samuel

James Crisp

Justin Huggler

ANGELA MERKEL yesterday joined Emmanuel Macron by offering unprecedented backing for a “real true European army” amid mockery from Donald Trump that the French were “starting to learn German in Paris” before US intervention in the Second World War.

There is growing conviction in Berlin and Paris that Mr Trump’s America can no longer be relied on to guarantee the security of Europe.

“We have to look at the vision of one day creating a real true European army,” Mrs Merkel told MEPS in a European Parliament debate on the future of the EU after Brexit, which she called a “deep wound”.

In a speech that drew heckles from Ukip members but a standing ovation from most, she suggested this force could “supplement”, not rival Nato, but that “only a stronger Europe is going to defend Europe”.

She also proposed establishing “a European Security Council with a rotating presidency”.

The German chancellor has previously backed various defence initiatives, including French proposals for a non-eu rapid reaction force which would include Britain, but has made no explicit call for a continental army.

Her comments followed a string of extraordinarily pugnacious tweets from Mr Trump against Mr Macron’s defence plans which he rounded off with a mocking: “Make France Great Again!”

“Emmanuel Macron suggests building its own army to protect Europe against the US, China and Russia,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

“But it was Germany in World Wars One and Two – how did that work out for France?

“They were starting to learn German in Paris before the US came along. Pay for Nato or not!”

Mr Trump has frequently criticised the level of members’ contributions to Nato, saying these had always been “ridiculously unfair” to the US. The American leader’s ire stems from a call by Mr Macron last week for a “true European army”.

“We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America,” he added, citing the recent decision of Mr Trump to withdraw from a Cold War-era nuclear treaty. Mr Trump called the comments “very insulting”.

Mr Macron then appeared to take aim at Mr Trump by warning of the dangers of rising nationalism. “Patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism. Nationalism is a betrayal of patriotism,” he said. In a Twitter riposte, Mr Trump wrote: “The problem is that Emmanuel suffers from a very low approval rating in France, 26 per cent and an unemployment rate of almost 10 per cent.

“He was just trying to get on to another subject. By the way, there is no country more nationalist than France, very proud people and rightfully so ... make France great again!”

The US president also threatened wine tariffs against France, saying the country “charges big tariffs, whereas the US makes it easy for French wines, and charges very small tariffs. Not fair, must change”.