Prepare for a possible withdrawal of American troops from Europe – warning from the highest level
US military exercises in Lithuania. Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis / AP / Profimedia
The European countries that are adjacent to Russia should prepare for the eventuality for Washington to reduce the number of troops in the area, strengthening its own military capacity, said Estonia President for Politico.
Alar Karis, the head of Eston, told Politico that he convinced US President Donald Trump of keeping troops in Eastern Europe, when the two stayed side by side for two hours during Pope Francis's funerals in April.
“I explained everything to him,” the Estonian leader told his country in the European Union. “The presence of American troops in Estonia – not only in Estonia, but in Europe – is crucial and important to the United States, not just for Europe,” he said.
But, although Karis was reassured by Trump's statements, namely the promise made this week to keep American troops in Poland, leader Eston stressed that it is still “very difficult to foresee” what Washington will do in the Baltic countries.
Countries such as Estonia “must be prepared for any scenario”, while the risk of a NATO's largest member “means we should strengthen our own capacity,” Karis added.
US plans
The US have about 2,000 soldiers stationed in the Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia) as part of a military consolidation following the large -scale invasion of Russia in Ukraine in February 2022.
The Pentagon is currently reviewing the position of its global forces and expects to reveal the results at the end of this month.
Although the content is not known, the revision is prepared under the guidance of the under -secretary of defense policy, Elbridge Colby, a declared supporter of the Reducation of US in Europe.
In April, the NBC American television revealed that the Pentagon discussed a possible withdrawal of a significant number of American military from Eastern Europe, including Romania.
The possible withdrawal concerns the 20,000 soldiers that Joe Biden's administration took place in 2022 to strengthen the defense of the countries on the border with Ukraine, after the Russian invasion.
The figures are still in question, but the proposal could involve eliminating up to half of the forces sent by Biden, ie 10,000 soldiers, NBC wrote.
At the moment, about 1,700 American soldiers are on a mission. The largest detachment, by almost 1,400 soldiers, is stationed at the military base in Mihail Kogălniceanu.
