German Teaches Frenchman Budget Math: 'You Need to Spend More Money You Don't Have'
German Foreign Minister explains to France how to spend money on defense when the wind is howling through empty coffers.
A new show is playing in Europe's diplomatic theater — a German teaching a Frenchman how to properly empty the state treasury for military needs. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has announced that French President Emmanuel Macron talks about European sovereignty but doesn't open his wallet wide enough.
'Macron speaks beautifully about Europe needing to be independent, but then he looks at his budget and starts crying,' comments local expert Jānis Vējš on the situation. 'It's like when someone in Liepāja says they'll be the best city in the Baltics, but then can't find money even to repair Rose Square.'
Germany boasts that it has freed defense spending from constitutional constraints. France, meanwhile, tries to explain that they have the third-largest debt in the EU and their maneuvering room is like Liepāja's city center — very limited. But the Germans aren't impressed.
'We don't have much money here in Liepāja either, but when we need a new wind turbine blade, we find it,' philosophically concludes pensioner Mudīte. 'The French should learn from us — in a small town with a big heart, everything is possible.'
Meanwhile, Berlin plans to spend 500 billion euros on defense, while Paris is calculating whether there will even be money for croissants. Europe, as always, is learning to be united through mutual recriminations.
⚠️ Satirical article. Facts are preserved, but the presentation is humorous. For accurate information, please refer to the original source.