Germany requests from US Europe troop retraction ‘roadmap’

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

Since President Donald Trump took office in January, he has frequently criticized European NATO members for not sharing defense costs fairly. His administration has also hinted at reducing the US military presence in Europe over the coming years, as strategic priorities shift toward the Asia-Pacific region.

The FT reported that ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague on June 24, European leaders are anxious about Washington’s plans to cut troop levels. The lack of detailed information from the US has heightened these concerns, sources said.

In recent months, Pistorius has pressed Hegseth to provide a detailed withdrawal plan. A senior German official told FT that Europe’s apprehension is influenced by the traumatic US pullout from Afghanistan in 2021, which was widely seen as poorly managed.

However, Germany’s efforts to clarify US intentions have drawn criticism from other NATO members, who worry Berlin’s actions might unintentionally strengthen Trump’s argument for a broader US withdrawal from the continent.

One source described the dilemma European leaders face: they must “engage with the Americans intensely to keep them close, while simultaneously preparing quickly for the possibility that they might leave.”

Giuseppe Spatafora, an analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies, noted that NATO’s European allies fear their actions might unintentionally trigger the very US departure they want to avoid. Similarly, an unnamed French diplomat warned that Europe must avoid encouraging the US to leave, as it would not be in their interest.

Carlo Masala, a professor at Bundeswehr University in Munich, summed up the mood by saying Europeans now watch the US “like the rabbit looks at the snake,” hoping the snake doesn’t strike.

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