Senior US Defense Department officials are considering a proposal to withdraw up to 10 000 troops from Eastern Europe, including Romania and Poland, a move that could embolden Putin.
NBC News reports this, citing six informed sources from the US and Europe.
These military units are part of a contingent of 20 000 troops that the administration of former US President Joe Biden sent in 2022, after the start of Russiaʼs full-scale invasion, to strengthen the defenses of countries bordering Ukraine.
The number of troops who may be withdrawn is still being discussed, but it could be almost half of the troops who were brought in by Bidenʼs decision.
NBC News, citing European officials, writes that if the Pentagon adopts this decision, it will only increase fears that the US is retreating from its longtime allies in Europe, who perceive Russia as a growing threat.
“The Russians will perceive the reduction of US troops as a weakening of deterrence, and this will only increase their willingness to intervene in European affairs in various ways,” said Seth Jones, vice president of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The US Department of Defense did not comment on this.
“The president is constantly reviewing troop deployments and priorities to ensure America First,” National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes told NBC News.
At the same time, the publication notes: The Trump administration has made it clear that it wants European allies to take more care of their own security on their own, while the US focuses on containing China and other priorities, including protecting its border with Mexico.
“Harsh strategic realities prevent the United States from focusing primarily on European security,” said the US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during his first overseas visit as defense secretary to Brussels in February.
Elbridge Colby, who is soon to be confirmed by the Senate as the Pentagonʼs top policy adviser and the third-ranking official in the defense department, has long called for a focus on China. He opposes expanded support for Ukraine and calls for a reduction in the number of American troops in Europe.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi, criticized this approach to reducing the American military presence in Europe, but did not specify which regions and numbers were in question.
Reducing troops in Europe will allow the US to free up resources, particularly for the Indo-Pacific region, which the country considers a priority. Refusing to deploy combat units in Eastern Europe will also allow the US military to save money and invest in the latest equipment and weapons, writes NBC News.
- There are currently about 80 000 US troops stationed in Europe. Following Russiaʼs invasion, bipartisan congressional support for a stronger US presence along NATOʼs eastern flank was seen as an important signal to Putin of the United Statesʼ commitment to its allies.
- In February, the FT reported that US President Donald Trump could withdraw troops from the Baltic states at the request of Putin, who is seeking a complete withdrawal of NATO troops from all post-Soviet countries.
For more news and in-depth stories from Ukraine please follow us on X.