The United States government stated that it will begin to gradually reduce the presence of its armed forces in Eastern Europe
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The Government of United States announced that it will significantly reduce the number of troops deployed in Romania as part of an adjustment of its military presence in Europe and a strategic shift toward the Indo-Pacific region.
The measure, confirmed Wednesday by the U.S. Army and the Romanian Ministry of Defense, is part of a process of "reassessment of the global positioning of the forces" of the North American country.
According to the statement from the United States Army, the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Battalion will return to its base in Kentucky "without replacement," which will reduce the U.S. military presence in Romania to about 1,000 soldiers. Until now, about 4,000 personnel had been deployed following the intensification of the war in Ukraine in 2022, with the aim of strengthening the defense of NATO's eastern border.
El ministro de Defensa de Rumanía confirmó la medida
The reduction will mainly affect the personnel stationed at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in the southeast of the country, which has served as a key logistics and training center for the Atlantic Alliance. The Romanian Defense Ministry explained that between 1,000 and 1,200 U.S. soldiers had already rotated out of the country in September and that they will not be replaced.
Washington emphasized that the decision doesn't imply a withdrawal from Europe or a reduction of the commitment to NATO, but rather responds to the strengthening of European defensive capabilities.
"This is a positive sign of the increased responsibility and capability of our allies. This measure doesn't change the security environment in Europe," the U.S. Army statement noted.
The change in stance comes in a context in which the Trump administration seeks to reassign resources toward the Indo-Pacific to counter China's growing power and strengthen security on U.S. borders.
Las fuerzas armadas estadounidenses se focalizarán en la región Indo-Pacífico
At the same time, the president has urged European allies to assume greater responsibility for their own defense, reiterating that the United States can't indefinitely sustain most of NATO's military burden.
In Bucharest, the Minister of Defense, Ionuț Moșteanu, stated that the decision was expected and that it had been communicated in advance to the allies. "We have enough forces for our needs," he said, adding that 3,500 NATO personnel, including Americans, will remain deployed in Romania.
"The expectation of having foreign armies defending our territory is not realistic; we will continue investing in our own armed forces."
Despite Bucharest's statements of calm, the measure has caused concern on NATO's eastern flank, where countries such as Poland, Lithuania, and the Baltic States fear that a reduced U.S. presence could send a signal of weakness to Russia. In recent weeks, Russian drones have violated Romanian and Polish airspace, increasing tensions in the area.
Nevertheless, Trump has assured that the withdrawal will be limited to Romania and that there will be no reductions in other countries on the eastern flank. During a meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, the leader said that "the troops in Poland will remain" and could even be increased if Warsaw requests it.
Donald Trump instó a la OTAN a incrementar sus presupuestos en defensa
