Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil urged European allies to adopt a more strategic posture toward the United States amid deepening transatlantic rifts, emphasizing the need for autonomy in defense and economic policy. The remarks, made during a high-level meeting in Washington, signal a shift in Germany’s diplomatic approach.
- Germany exported €18 billion in steel and aluminum to the United States in 2025, subject to new U.S. tariffs
- Klingbeil emphasized the need for EU defense spending to reach 2.5% of GDP by 2030, up from current levels of 1.6%
- The EU’s new Critical Raw Materials Act, adopted in late 2025, aims to reduce reliance on U.S. and Chinese supply chains
- Germany has committed €45 billion to domestic semiconductor and green tech manufacturing by 2030
- Transatlantic trade tensions have led to a 12% decline in German industrial output growth in Q3 2025
- Klingbeil called for a 'European strategic autonomy' framework to guide defense, energy, and digital infrastructure planning
Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil delivered a stark message to European partners during a visit to Washington, stating that Europe must no longer rely on assumed U.S. support in an era of growing geopolitical unpredictability. Speaking at a closed-door meeting with senior policymakers, Klingbeil stressed that recent U.S. policy shifts—including the imposition of new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from EU nations in 2025—highlight the risks of dependency. The tariffs, which affected €18 billion in German exports annually, have prompted Germany to accelerate its industrial resilience plans.