US Will Withdraw More Troops From Europe Gradually, NATO General Says

The United States will pull more troops from Europe, but the process will stretch over several years to give allies time to develop capabilities to replace them, NATO’s top commander said on Tuesday. US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, was speaking after decisions by US President Donald Trump’s administration to withdraw some 5,000 troops from Germany and cancel deployment of long-range Tomahawk missiles. 

Speaking to reporters after a meeting of NATO military chiefs in Brussels, Grynkewich said the decision was the only such move he was aware of in the near term and would not affect the alliance’s ability to execute its defence plans. European governments say they have heeded Trump’s call to spend more on defence and take more responsibility for the continent’s security, but they fear a hasty withdrawal could leave Europe vulnerable to military attack from Russia, though Moscow denies any such intention.

Grynkewich said there would be further withdrawals of US troops in Europe, which number roughly 80,000, but that would happen as European forces grow to fill the gap. As the European pillar of the alliance gets stronger, this allows the US to reduce its presence in Europe and limit itself to providing only those critical capabilities that allies cannot yet provide. 

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He said he cannot give an exact timeline, adding that it is going to be an ongoing process for several years. While Europe would take more responsibility for conventional defence, this would happen with continued critical backing from American capabilities, which are being adjusted.