Oleg Davygora13:41, 08.04.25

This is half of the contingent that Biden deployed in 2022 to strengthen the countries bordering Ukraine.

Senior Pentagon officials are considering a proposal to withdraw up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe, raising concerns on both continents.

As NBC News writes , this will embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to six American and European officials briefed on the matter.

The units under consideration are part of the 20,000 troops that the administration of former US President Joe Biden deployed in 2022 to bolster the defenses of countries bordering Ukraine after the Russian invasion. The numbers are still being negotiated, but the proposal could include withdrawing up to half of the forces sent by Biden.

Six U.S. and European officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, described numerous details of the proposal that had not been previously reported. If the Pentagon accepts the proposal, it would heighten concerns that the United States is abandoning its longtime allies in Europe, which see Russia as a growing threat, European officials said.

“The Russians will view the reduction in US troop numbers as a weakening of deterrence, and this will increase their willingness to intervene in various ways across the spectrum in European affairs,” said Seth Jones, senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

It is noted that the Trump administration has made it clear that it wants European allies to take more responsibility for their own defense, which would allow the United States to focus its military resources on China and other priorities.

Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, criticized this approach:

“There are some who believe that now is the time to dramatically reduce our military presence in Europe. I am troubled by these deeply misguided and dangerous views held by some mid-level bureaucrats in the Department of Defense. They have worked to push the United States out of Europe, and have often done so without the coordination of the Secretary of Defense.”

National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes said that “the president is constantly reviewing deployments and priorities to ensure that America comes first.”

US troops in Europe – Trump’s plans

The Telegraph previously reported that Trump is considering withdrawing US troops from Germany and redeploying them to Eastern Europe.

It was reported that the American leader is considering the possibility of withdrawing about 35,000 active duty troops from Germany, which would further worsen relations between the United States and Europe. About 160,000 active duty troops are stationed outside the United States, a huge number of them in Germany.

(C)UNIAN 2025