General NATO advises USA: Let's keep troops in Europe at the current level

My advice is to preserve the US troops in Europe at its current level – said General Christopher Cavoli, commander of NATO forces in Europe on Tuesday in the House of Representatives. The Republican head of the Commission for the Armed Forces Mike Rogers protested against the planned reduction.

“My advice is to maintain this distribution of forces now. We have periodically reviewed it since in 2022 we originally moved forces forward (…) both at the military and political level, and consistently recommended throughout this period the maintenance of forces that we put forward, and I will continue to do it now,” said Cavoli during the armed forces commission Europe.

The head of the European Command (EUCOM) and the Supreme Commander of allied forces (Saceur) thus referred to reports, including NBC News about Pentagon plans for reducing US forces in Europe, including an eastern flank. Cavoli, who ends his service this year, warned that Russia would remain a “chronic” threat to the continent, which will only increase and which does not shun before the use of military force.

The assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Director of the Pentagon department – PAP) appearing next to General Cavoli, Katherine Thompson said that in the defense ministry a global review of the US forces in the world was underway and no decisions have been made in the defense ministry. She noted, however, that “dynamics on all theaters of action”, and not only in Europe, is taken into account. She also reminded the declaration of the head of Pentagon Pete HegeSth that Europe must take on the main burden of responsibility for its own safety.

To maintain the current level of troops on Tuesday, both the highest -ranking representatives of the commission – its republican boss Mike Rogers and his democratic deputy Adam Smith.

“Allies throughout the alliance increase defense expenses, but it will take some time to reckoning Europe, and premature withdrawal would threaten to invitation to further Russian aggression, potentially even against NATO. That's why I strongly support the maintenance of the current attitude of the US forces in Europe” – warned Rogers.

Both Rogers and Smith ORz Most of the committee members expressed hope of increasing the pressure on Vladimir Putin to force him to accept the suspension of weapons. Thompson, however, claimed – to disbelief some of the congressmen – that the “initial suspension of weapons” in Ukraine persists, although it refused to develop this issue in the public session of the committee meeting.

Cavoli estimated that the situation of Ukrainians on the front has improved in recent weeks, Russian attacks have weakened, and Ukraine does not threaten the front of the front.

From Washington Oskar Górzyński (PAP)

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