Disturbing US plans. They want to withdraw from Europe, among others: combat aircraft and ships
Plans to withdraw some of the military equipment were announced on Friday at a closed-door meeting of NATO officials by Pentagon adviser Alexander Velez-Green, which was confirmed by two diplomats.
These reductions reflect US President Donald Trump's long-term efforts to limit the US role in the alliance, which he has repeatedly criticized as being useless to Washington. It also highlights the administration's military shift toward other regions, such as the Indo-Pacific.
Trump disappointed European allies by announcing he would withdraw 5,000. soldiers from Germany, which later turned out to include 4,000. soldiers from Poland. Then the US president changed his mind and announced that he would send an additional 5,000 to Poland. soldiers.
Diplomats admit that it is not yet known what the nature of the withdrawal of American equipment will be or in what time period, but Washington assured that it does not plan to change the nuclear deterrent program.
What weapons will be withdrawn and from where they come from will depend “on the ability of other countries to find alternatives,” one of the interlocutors admitted.
Reducing weapons can create problems
The US's European allies are scheduled to discuss this issue in June during the NATO Force Generation conference, during which military planners of individual countries determine the military potential they can offer within the Alliance.
Jennifer Kavanagh, director of the Washington think tank Defense Priorities for military analyses, estimates that the reduction of certain types of weapons, such as submarines or strategic bombers, may be a particular problem due to the difficulties in replacing them quickly.
