NATO confident - US will reduce its troops in Europe: alliance revises defense plan
Kyiv • UNN
European NATO allies are preparing for a possible withdrawal of some American troops from Europe, which will affect bases in Italy and Germany. The alliance is reviewing defense plans that largely rely on American military capabilities.
The Pentagon is on the path of "reorienting" forces towards the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific region; the withdrawal of US troops from Europe will primarily affect bases in Italy and Germany.
This is reported by Euractiv, as conveyed by UNN.
Details
European NATO allies are beginning to brace for a rethinking of the US troop posture and a possible withdrawal of some US military forces from bases on the old continent.
Key questions currently being discussed by NATO forces representatives in Europe:
- how many American troops will leave?
- how orderly will this withdrawal be?
- are European forces capable of replacing American military capabilities?
NATO has revised its defense plans, which define the Alliance's response to any potential attack. But for now, the updated plans largely rely on American equipment, air forces, and tens of thousands of servicemen capable of repelling any potential enemy.
NATO's eastern flank is particularly concerned about a sudden US retreat, which will likely lead to immediate requests for reinforcement from other Alliance members. The withdrawal of US troops is also expected to affect major American military bases in Germany and Italy, which have been the basis for supporting forward US military operations.
Some of these countries are privately urging NATO to begin talks on a new revision of defense plans. Key issues:
- European forces may be ready to fight;
- it will take years to replace the current American forces;
The latter point is particularly related to equipment such as American aviation, complex logistics, and satellite systems.
Recall
Fears that the US president would leave the summit in The Hague did not materialize; following the June event in the Netherlands, European leaders listed achievements:
- NATO reoriented to its key mission – deterring Russia;
- The Alliance is returning to Cold War-era defense spending levels in response to Russia's continued military buildup;
- with increasing European defense spending, NATO will become a more balanced alliance between the US and Europe.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte commented on the words of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the increase in NATO countries' budgets.