Will the US keep troops in Europe? The House of Representatives approves the defense budget

The bill assuming defense spending at the level of $901 billion was adopted in the House of Representatives by a vote of 312-112. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week. Once passed by this chamber, the document will go to President Donald Trump's desk.

Text agreed by representatives of both parties in both houses of Congress prohibits the reduction of US military forces in Europe below the level of 76,000. for more than 45 daysuntil the head of the Pentagon and the head of European Command (EUCOM) submit separate reports to Congress justifying their decision.

The document must include why such a move is consistent with U.S. national security interests and state that the decision was made in consultation with all NATO allies and alliance partners. The Pentagon would have to consult with other agencies before making a decision.

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These provisions are partly a response to the Pentagon's earlier actions regarding the withdrawal of a US infantry brigade stationed on a rotational basis in Romania. The Republican heads of the armed services committees in both houses criticized this decision and the fact that it was made without consulting Congress or other state institutions. According to the US European Command (EUCOM), over 80,000 are currently stationed on the Old Continent. US soldiers, including approx. 10,000 in Poland.

The project blocks the Trump administration's plans

The draft, which is the result of months of negotiations between parties and houses of Congress, also includes similar provisions regarding the presence of US forces in South Korea. Among the remaining elements of the over 3,000-year-old The project's pages also included two others that went against the strategy and policy of Donald Trump's administration. Congress intends to allocate $400 million to the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) program, under which the US purchases weapons for Ukraine.

The act also provides for a salary increase for soldiers by almost 4%. The bill also includes a provision increasing pressure on the Pentagon to provide Congress with recordings of attacks on ships suspected of transporting drugs in the Caribbean Sea. The act also included, among others: a provision intended to support efforts to recover Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia.

In addition USD 175 million will be allocated to the Baltic Security Initiative program, which aims to strengthen the defense of the Baltic states. BSI is expected to become a permanent Pentagon program. Contrary to initial expectations, the bill did not include a bill imposing additional sanctions on Georgia. This came about as a result of lobbying by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin.

Unlike the NDAA from previous years, the text does not mention the European Deterrence Initiative (EDI) program, which financed the increased presence of US forces in Europe and investments in infrastructure. A year earlier, almost USD 3 billion was allocated for this purpose.

The text mentions eight investments financed by Poland in bases where US forces are stationed in Poland: at the training ground in Drawsko Pomorskie, the ground forces base in Powidz and the air bases in Łask and Wrocław. The total amount of these investments is USD 504 million.