Germany requests from US Defense Secretary to give plan of US troops withdrawal from Europe

(MENAFN) German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has repeatedly requested a clear “roadmap” from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlining the planned withdrawal of American troops from Europe, according to the Financial Times, which cited three anonymous sources familiar with their discussions.

Since taking office in January, US President Donald Trump has frequently criticized European NATO members for not contributing enough to defense spending. His administration has hinted at reducing the US military presence in Europe over the coming years as America’s strategic focus shifts more toward the Asia-Pacific region.

The Financial Times reported Monday that ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24, European leaders have been deeply concerned about the lack of specifics on Washington’s troop reduction plans. This uncertainty has added to growing apprehension, according to unnamed officials.

In recent months, Pistorius has urged Hegseth to provide a detailed plan for the US drawdown. One senior German official explained, “we all have trauma from Afghanistan,” referring to the chaotic US military withdrawal in 2021.

However, Germany’s efforts reportedly face criticism within NATO, with some members worried that Berlin’s requests could unintentionally strengthen Trump’s arguments for scaling back US forces.

Another source described the predicament European leaders face as “engage with the Americans like hell to keep them as close as possible, while at the same time preparing as fast as we can for them to walk away.”

Giuseppe Spatafora, an analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies, told the Financial Times that European NATO allies fear their actions might inadvertently trigger the very outcome they want to avoid.

Similarly, an unnamed French diplomat emphasized that “we [must] do nothing that would encourage the Americans to leave, because that’s not in our interest.”

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