The Pentagon plans to reduce its participation in elements of NATO's force structure and a number of the alliance's advisory groups, which is another sign of the US President Donald Trump's administration's desire to reduce the US military presence in Europe. This is reported by The Washington Post, citing several unnamed officials familiar with these plans, UNN reports.
Details
According to the publication's sources, this decision will affect about 200 servicemen and reduce US participation in the activities of almost 30 NATO organizations, including centers of excellence that train Alliance forces in various areas of warfare.
Instead of an immediate withdrawal, the Pentagon intends to simply not replace personnel after their assignments end – thus the process could take years.
It is indicated that among the advisory groups that will face cuts are those dealing with the Alliance's energy security and maritime operations.
"The Pentagon will also reduce its participation in official NATO structures related to special operations and intelligence. ... Some of these US functions will be reallocated within the Alliance, limiting the scale of the consequences," the article says.
Recall
Earlier, US President Donald Trump called on NATO countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. He stressed that the US bears an unfair financial burden in the Alliance.
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