Germany’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul criticized France’s defense spending as too low in a radio interview with Deutschlandfunk. Wadephul said French President Emmanuel Macron talks about European sovereignty but needs to "act accordingly" at home. NATO members agreed last year to spend 5% of GDP on defense by 2035, but Wadephul said progress, especially in France, is slow. "Unfortunately, efforts in the French Republic have also been insufficient to achieve this so far," he said. Germany has increased its defense budget massively after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, freeing more money by easing debt limits and planning over €50 billion spending from 2025 to 2029. France faces more financial limits due to high debt. Wadephul added that France must join Germany in making tough decisions on defense spending. The call comes amid wider EU concerns over defense and security cooperation.