BREAKING NEWS The United States will withdraw “thousands of soldiers” from Romania, writes the Ukrainian press citing information from the USA / How many American soldiers are in Romania
American soldiers at Mihai Kogălniceanu Air Base. Inquam Photos / George Calin
The Donald Trump administration is about to withdraw “thousands” of American soldiers from Romania, writes the Ukrainian publication Kyiv Post, citing three American and European officials familiar with the matter.
Information regarding the possible withdrawal of some US forces from the eastern flank also appeared in the spring, when the American press wrote that the Pentagon is considering the withdrawal of up to 10,000 soldiers from several countries, including Romania.
According to the three sources of the Kyiv Post, the oldest English-language Ukrainian publication in Ukraine (founded in 1995), the Trump administration notified Western allies earlier this week of its decision to withdraw troops, with an official announcement expected in the coming days.
The officials, who asked to remain anonymous because they are not authorized to disclose internal discussions before the official announcement, said the troop reduction should not exceed “more than one battalion.”
A battalion in the US Army ranges from a few hundred soldiers to 1,000, depending on the unit and specialization.
The Kyiv Post's sources insisted that the move would not have “a significant impact on US operations in the region.”
What does the withdrawal of American troops in Romania mean? An expert in international relations explains the worst scenario: “Romania will be forced”
A withdrawal from Poland was also discussed, but only Romania remained
According to the cited publication, internal discussions initially considered troop reductions in both Romania and Poland, but the final decision only concerned Romania.
The reason for the cuts is related to a broader Pentagon initiative to focus resources in the Western Hemisphere and better counter China in the Pacific.
However, for a region still dealing with the consequences of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the timing is considered by some to be precarious, the Kyiv Post writes. Retired US Army Colonel Richard Williams, former deputy director of NATO's defense investment division, told the cited publication on Tuesday that “there is no obvious or tactical reason for withdrawing the NATO brigade from Romania.”
In an important reassurance to one of America's staunchest European allies, President Trump recently met with Poland's new president, Karol Nawrocki, and assured him that US troops would not be reduced in Poland.
During the meeting, Trump reportedly said the US “hasn't even thought” about withdrawing troops from the country, stressing: “We stand with Poland all the way.”
More Donald Trump said in early September that the United States could increase its military presence in Poland, promising to ensure its defense, the statements were made during a meeting at the White House with Karol Nawrocki.
How many American soldiers are in Romania?
At the moment, approximately 2,000 American soldiers are on mission in Romania. The largest detachment, of over 1,500 soldiers, is stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu military base.
There are about 200 soldiers operating the Aegis Ashore anti-missile shield at the base in Deveselu, while there are over 100 other soldiers at the air base in Câmpia Turzii.
About 80,000 US troops are stationed in Europe, NBC said in April, writing that the possible withdrawal discussed at the time targeted the 20,000 troops that the Joe Biden administration deployed in 2022 to strengthen the defense of countries bordering Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
