Euractiv: Europe has begun private preparations for the withdrawal of US troops

European NATO allies of the United States have begun private preparations for the withdrawal of American troops from Europe. This is reported by Euractiv, citing unnamed sources.

European countries are convinced that US President Donald Trump will reduce the number of troops deployed on the European continent, which currently stands at around 80,000, and redirect them to Asia and the Middle East.

"The question is not whether there will be a reduction in US troops, but how orderly this can be done without jeopardizing the existing defense plans of the Alliance," the source told the media.

The discussions revolve around three main questions: how many American troops will leave, how abrupt the troop withdrawal will be, and whether European forces are capable of replacing the departing American military resources.

NATO's eastern flank is particularly concerned about the sudden withdrawal of American troops, which is likely to lead to immediate requests for reinforcements from other allies.

Several countries have privately urged NATO to accelerate talks on revising its defense plans to prepare for a much smaller American role.

The withdrawal of US troops is also expected to affect major US military bases in Germany and Italy, which have been the basis for supporting US forward military operations.

• Discussions about the presence of US troops in Europe have been ongoing since the beginning of Trump's second term. As early as February, it was reported that the United States would not withdraw from NATO, but could withdraw some troops from Europe as their priorities shift to the Indo-Pacific region.
• On May 30, Reuters sources reported that the US president had changed his mind about handing over command of NATO's Allied Forces Europe to a European, and had already decided on a candidate for the new commander-in-chief. This was seen as a positive sign by Europe.