NATO commander says planned U.S. troop reduction in Europe will not affect alliance defense plans
The Facts
- Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top commander in Europe, said the planned U.S. reduction of about 5,000 troops from Europe would not affect NATO’s regional defense plans.
- The announced U.S. reduction involves about 5,000 troops and has been described as a withdrawal from Germany or a drawdown achieved by canceling deployments to Germany and Poland.
- Grynkewich made the remarks in Brussels after meeting with NATO military chiefs.
- Grynkewich said European allies and Canada are taking on more responsibility for conventional defense in Europe, while the United States would focus on capabilities allies cannot yet provide.
- Grynkewich said additional U.S. force redeployments from Europe should be expected over time as allies build their own capabilities.
- At the same time, Grynkewich said the 5,000-troop move is the only near-term reduction he is aware of and that he does not expect more immediate drawdowns.
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- NATO’s regional defense plans remain intact despite the planned reduction of about 5,000 U.S. troops, because allies in Europe and Canada are assuming more conventional defense responsibility while the United States continues supplying capabilities they cannot yet provide.
- They split on
- Less a disagreement than a question of emphasis: the reassurance that this near-term troop move does not weaken NATO and brings no immediate further drawdowns, versus the longer-term shift toward a more reciprocal division of labor as allies build capacity.
Analytical frames for this storyTap to explore
Context
Who is Alexus Grynkewich?
He is NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, the alliance’s top military commander in Europe Reuters,CNA.
Why does NATO say the troop reduction does not change its defense plans?
Grynkewich said NATO’s regional plans remain executable because European allies and Canada are assuming more responsibility for conventional defense, while the United States continues to provide critical capabilities that allies do not yet field Reuters,Anadolu Ajansı,Anadolu Ajansı.
What remains unclear about future U.S. troop levels in Europe?
Grynkewich said more U.S. redeployments could happen over time as European capabilities grow, but he did not give an exact timeline and said the announced 5,000-troop move is the only near-term reduction he knows of Reuters,Straits Times,PBS.org.
View all 59 sources
Wire services (13)
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