The announcement of the withdrawal of American troops from Germany overshadowed the start of the European Political Community meeting in Yerevan on Monday, shifting the focus from a broad discussion on regional cooperation to a more urgent debate regarding Europe's security dependence on the US, Euractiv reports, according to UNN.
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The meeting in the Armenian capital was the first opportunity for European leaders to meet face-to-face following the White House's sudden announcement.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that the timing of the announcement came as a "surprise," although she noted that the discussion regarding the US presence in Europe is not new.
"This shows that we really need to strengthen the European pillar of NATO and that we need to do more," she said, noting, however, that "American troops are in Europe not only to protect European interests, but also American interests."
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen did not mention the withdrawal of American troops but also called for greater European independence in defense matters.
"We must ramp up our military capabilities to be able to defend ourselves," she said, pointing to available funding and calling for the acceleration of military equipment production.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that "Europeans have now received a signal" regarding "frustration from the United States" over their reaction to the US-Israeli war against Iran.
Rutte also said that "allies are now ensuring that all bilateral agreements on military bases are fulfilled."
Over the weekend, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz tried to downplay the significance of the US statement, telling ARD in an interview that "not everything we have heard over the last few days is actually new."
"Perhaps it is a bit exaggerated, but nothing new," he said.
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The Italian government also attempted to soothe fears, stating it sees "no immediate consequences" from the announcement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Rome on Thursday for a series of meetings at the Vatican. He is also expected to meet with Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto.
The summit in Yerevan, the publication writes, also served as an opportunity for key European and allied leaders to coordinate their actions regarding Ukraine. Specifically, European Council President António Costa reportedly convened a meeting with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the event.
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