The Baltic states have not received guarantees from the US regarding the continued presence of American troops on their borders. This was stated by Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, as reported by Bloomberg, writes UNN.
Details
During a visit to the Pentagon last week, the defense ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia received no guarantees from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth regarding the maintenance of US troop levels on NATO's eastern flank.
According to Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur, the US will warn NATO allies before deciding to withdraw some of its troops from European countries.
A commitment was made that a one-time decision would not be made in such a way that it would come as a surprise to Europe. It will be discussed
He also added that during the meeting with Hegseth, the defense ministers of the Baltic states "made it clear" that the US military presence on NATO's eastern border is crucial for deterring any potential aggressive actions by Russia.
Our message to the Pentagon was clear. You need to be where the threat is, and it is wise for allies to stick together and keep NATO's main door closed.
Recall
The US is conducting a global force posture review, which could lead to a reduction of American troop presence in Europe by up to 30%. Germany, where the largest number of American servicemen are stationed, expects changes in America's posture, but there are no specific commitments regarding US plans yet.