U.S. Plans Talks on Partial Troop Withdrawal from Europe
(MENAFN) Washington intends to begin formal discussions with fellow NATO countries regarding a limited withdrawal of American forces stationed in Europe, according to Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. ambassador to the alliance.
This move reflects a longstanding goal pursued by the United States for over thirty years, and according to Whitaker, the U.S. is increasingly running out of patience.
In April, a news agency disclosed that Washington is weighing the option of pulling back as many as 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe.
U.S. Leader Donald Trump subsequently confirmed the possibility of a partial troop reduction, though he did not indicate when it might occur.
Whitaker has now clarified that these talks are expected to commence sometime later in the year.
“It will be certainly after the summit, sometime later in the year, we are going to start those conversations... All our allies are ready to do it,” he told a news agency on Friday, referring to NATO’s forthcoming meeting in The Hague.
Whitaker emphasized that the U.S. is no longer willing to tolerate delays in this matter. “We are not going to have any more patience for foot dragging in this situation... We just need to work through the practical consequences,” he said.
While noting that “nothing has been determined” so far, he affirmed that “as soon as we do, we are going to have these conversations in the structure of NATO.”
According to a report released this week by the media, citing findings from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the projected cost of replacing American troops and equipment post-withdrawal could reach approximately USD1 trillion over a 25-year span.
This figure includes initial procurement expenses ranging between USD226 billion and USD344 billion—depending on which military assets are substituted—alongside long-term spending on maintenance, staffing, and operational support.
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