Latest news with #USWithdrawal
Russia Today
27-05-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
US troop withdrawal from Europe expected in ‘coming months'
The US is expected to announce a reduction in its military presence in Europe in the 'coming months,' the German daily Handelsblatt has reported, citing 'high-ranking European diplomats.' The scale of the pullout is still unclear, but NATO is reportedly making preparations, according to the paper. The pullout could be linked to the new US national defense strategy, according to EU sources contacted by the newspaper. The document is expected to be ready by the end of summer, the report said. Washington needs to focus its efforts on countering China as it is not prepared for a potential confrontation with Beijing, according to US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby, who was approached by Handelsblatt. Rumors about a potential pullout have been circulating in the media ever since NBC News reported in April that the US was considering withdrawing up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. US President Donald Trump later confirmed that he is considering a partial withdrawal but did not elaborate on either its scale or timetable. In mid-May, the US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said Washington plans to start talks about a potential pullout with other NATO members following the bloc's summit in June. 'We are not going to have any more patience for foot dragging in this situation,' he said at the time, while admitting that 'nothing has been determined' yet. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly denied speculation about a US pullout during a visit to Lithuania this week. 'We currently have no indication that the United States of America will withdraw troops from Europe,' he told journalists at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in Vilnius. The cost of replacing the US equipment and personnel following a withdrawal could amount to around $1 trillion over 25 years, Politico reported earlier in May, citing a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. As of early 2025, there were nearly 84,000 US troops stationed in Europe, with the largest concentrations in Germany and Poland, and smaller deployments in Romania, Estonia, and Lithuania, according to the US European Command.
The Independent
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
UK cannot afford ‘ostrich strategy' as US withdraws from European defence
The UK cannot afford to adopt an 'ostrich strategy' as the US withdraws from guaranteeing European security, the chairman of a parliamentary committee has warned. Matt Western, who leads the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, urged the Government on Wednesday to reassess the UK's reliance on the US as it prepares to publish a new national security strategy. In a letter to senior Cabinet minister Pat McFadden, Mr Western said previous strategies had been 'underpinned by loadbearing assumptions of America's place in the world' and commitment to international security. He said: 'We caution against any overly hasty moves to plan for a US drawdown. But we also do not endorse an ostrich strategy.' Since coming to power, US President Donald Trump and his administration have indicated a reluctance to continue supporting European security, with some reports suggesting the US could withdraw troops from the continent in a row over defence spending. Mr Trump has also suggested that the US would not come to the defence of Nato allies unless they increase their defence spending. Mr Western urged the Government to use its new national security strategy to 'set out the direction of travel for the UK's areas of most acute strategic reliance on the US', including use of US technology providers, intelligence capabilities and military equipment. He also called for 'a clear-eyed consideration of scenarios in which US assistance may be less forthcoming than previously expected'. The UK currently has significant defence and security ties with the US, including the intelligence sharing Five Eyes agreement. American firms also maintain military equipment, including the F35 jet and the Trident missiles that form Britain's nuclear deterrent, leading some to express concern that Washington could undermine UK security by refusing to supply spare parts. In his letter, Mr Western also repeated complaints that national security adviser Jonathan Powell had not yet been made available for questioning by the committee. Describing the 'reluctance' to allow Mr Powell to give evidence as 'an unforced error of judgment', he added: 'As recent events across the world have shown, upholding accountability and trust in senior national security figures is vital. 'The Government's position is undermining public trust and would upend long-standing precedent which all previous office holders followed.' Mr Western has previously made similar complaints, saying in February his committee had invited Mr Powell to address them three times but with no success. In March, a Government spokesperson insisted 'senior civil servants and ministers with national security responsibility' would provide evidence to the committee.
Al Arabiya
05-02-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
US drafts plan to withdraw all its troops from Syria, NBC News reports
The US Department of Defense is developing plans to withdraw all US troops from Syria, NBC News reported on Wednesday, citing two US defense officials. President Donald Trump and officials close to him recently expressed interest in pulling US troops out of Syria, leading Pentagon officials to begin drawing up plans for a full withdrawal in 30, 60 or 90 days, the report added. Developing
