b'6.3. EU Force Crisis Response Operation Core (EUFOR CROC) member states, saying that reforms over the past months and years have brought our armed forces closer together.51But, British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson warned that any force which rivaled the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would undermine international security. He went on to condemn the majority of EU member states - including France and Germany - who had failed to hit the NATO military spending target of two percent of GDP. In 2018, Greece, Estonia, and the UK were the only European countries to meet the spending target.52The United States has regularly expressed frustration with NATO members on theirfailure to commit to the alliance. Both Under the Permanent Structured Cooperationformer presidents George W. Bush and (PESCO), participatingmember statesBarack Obama consistently called out commit to increasing their national defenceNATO member countries for not meeting budgets, defence investment expenditure,their defence spending obligations.53In and investment in defence research and2016, President Obama stated in a news technology. In addition, they must increaseconference: I want to take this opportunity cooperation on cyber-defence and aimto commend Greece for being one of the five towards common funding of militaryNATO allies that spends 2 percent of GDP operations and missions.49 The Europeanon defense, a goal that we have consistently Union Force Crisis Response Operation Coreset but not everybody has met, Obama (EUFOR CROC) is a flagship EU defencesaid. Greece has done this even during project under development as part of thedifficult economic times. If Greece can meet PESCO facility.this NATO commitment,all our NATO allies should be able to do so.54EUFOR CROC contributes to the creation of a coherent full spectrum force package,After the French president proposed the idea which enhances the preparedness,of a European army, President Trump willingness and commitmentof EU membertweeted: President Macron of France has states to act and engage in operations andjust suggested that Europe build its own missions. The project does not generatemilitary in order to protect itself from the US, a standing European Army per se, butChina and Russia. Very insulting, but perhaps catalogues individual elements that wouldEurope should first pay its fair share of speed up the establishment of a deployableNATO, which the U.S. subsidizes greatly!55force under a single command if the EUReportedly, President Trump privately decides to act militarily.50 considered withdrawing the USA from the alliance altogether but in January 2019, Germanys then defence minister was MsPresident Trump reiterated his commitment: Ursula von der Leyen.She is now theWere gonna be with NATO 100 percent, but appointed President of the EU Commission. as I told the countries, You have to step up In January 2019 she said an EU army isand you have to pay.5657already taking shape as the bloc looks to deepen military cooperation between 198'