U.S. Department of Defense officials are considering a significant reduction of American military presence in Eastern Europe, potentially withdrawing 10,000 soldiers, NBC reported today.
This decision would impact approximately 20,000 troops that were deployed under the administration of President Joe Biden in 2022 to bolster defense in countries bordering Ukraine, following Russia’s invasion. The move, however, is still under review, and the exact number of soldiers to be pulled remains unclear.
The potential withdrawal has raised concerns among nations close to Russia, such as Poland, Romania, and the Baltic states, who view the U.S. military presence as a critical security guarantee against Russian aggression. For these countries, the American forces act as a vital deterrent to Moscow’s actions in the region.
The issue has gained further prominence with the arrival of former President Donald Trump at the White House, who has frequently criticized NATO and European nations for what he perceives as their failure to take sufficient responsibility for their own defense.
The news comes as U.S. President Biden is actively engaging with both Moscow and Kyiv, attempting to broker a ceasefire, while many European Union nations express concern over Trump’s perceived leniency toward Russia. U.S. troop deployments in former Soviet satellite states have long been a point of tension for Moscow, which considers these stations a direct threat to its security.
