European NATO member states have begun quiet preparations for a possible reduction in American military forces on the continent.
Euractiv reports this.
NATO countries fear Trump will withdraw some troops from Europe
Allies are confident that US President Donald Trump will redirect some of the 80,000 American troops to Asia and the Middle East.
Now watching
“The question is not whether there will be a withdrawal of American troops, but how orderly this can be done without jeopardizing the Alliance's existing defense plans,” said one NATO diplomat.
NATO military planners are focused on three main aspects of the future redistribution of forces:
- the scale of the withdrawal of American troops,
- the speed of this process,
- the ability of European armies to compensate for the absence of American units.
NATO only last year updated its defence strategies, which outline how it responds to potential threats.
However, these plans rely heavily on American weapons, air power and tens of thousands of US troops.
NATO's eastern flank is particularly concerned about the prospect of a rapid withdrawal of American forces, with some of those states privately pushing for faster negotiations to review defense plans to prepare for a significantly reduced American role.
The potential withdrawal is expected to have a major impact on major US military bases in Germany and Italy.
Defense officials in the region acknowledge that European forces are capable of combat operations, but are still far from being a full-fledged replacement for the American contingent.
This is especially true for complex and expensive capabilities in the areas of aviation, logistics and satellite systems, which European countries do not have.
On the eve of the NATO summit, US Ambassador to the Alliance Matthew Whitaker said that the Pentagon's review of the deployment of American troops in Europe will be completed by the end of the summer or early fall.
So far, European allies have received no specific information from US officials about any upcoming changes in Washington's position, several European NATO diplomats confirmed.
