The United States plans to reduce its troop presence on Europe’s eastern flank, specifically at Romania’s Mihail Kogalniceanu air base. Romania’s defense ministry announced that around 1,000 U. S. troops will remain in the country, but between 1,000 and 1,200 troops who rotated out a month ago will not be replaced. This decision is part of Washington’s shift in priorities, as the U. S. focuses more on its own borders and the Indo-Pacific region, prompting European allies to take greater responsibility for their security.
The U. S. military clarified that this move is not a withdrawal from Europe or a sign of reduced commitment to NATO. However, U. S. Republican lawmakers expressed strong opposition to the decision not to maintain the rotational brigade in Romania and have asked the Pentagon for clarification. Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu emphasized that Romania’s ties with the U. S. remain strong, with a significant NATO presence of about 3,500 troops, including Americans.
Mosteanu noted that Romania has received advanced air defense systems from the U. S. to improve its security amid concerns about Russian threats, including breaches by drones. Overall, NATO is in close communication regarding troop deployments, and while adjustments to U. S. forces are normal, the decision primarily affects Romania. Other countries like Slovakia and Poland have not reported any changes to their U. S. troop presence. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto indicated that the U. S. focus on competition with China has contributed to this shift.
With information from Reuters