Nato seeks to ‘understand the details’ of US decision to withdraw troops from Germany | Nato
NATO is trying to “understand the details” of the US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany; This decision was ordered by Donald Trump amid a feud with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
The German government tried to downplay the seriousness of Trump’s move, describing it as an “expected” move and reminding Europe that it must invest in its own defense. The US withdrawal, which the Pentagon said would occur within the next six to 12 months, followed Merz’s criticism of how Trump handled the war with Iran and subsequent negotiations with Tehran.
The chancellor said Monday that the United States was “humiliated” by Iran’s leaders. Trump quickly responded by saying Merz “didn’t know what he was talking about” and soon raised the possibility of withdrawing troops.
NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said on Saturday that the alliance was “working with the United States to understand the details of the decision regarding the force posture in Germany.”
The statements suggested that the withdrawal announcement was a unilateral action with little or no coordination with Washington’s European allies.
Speaking on social media, Hart said: “This regulation underlines that Europe must continue to invest more in defense and take greater responsibility for our common security,” noting that NATO allies have made progress since last year agreeing to invest 5 percent of GDP in defense to meet the growing threat from Russia.
A German defense ministry spokesman said the US plan to withdraw from bases in Germany showed “we need to strengthen the European leg within NATO”.
“It was expected that the United States could withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany,” the spokesman said, estimating the current US military force in Germany at 40,000.
U.S. officials have suggested that an army brigade combat team currently deployed in Germany will be withdrawn and a planned deployment of a long-range artillery battalion to the country will be canceled, potentially involving other troops.
according to US Defense Manpower Data CenterThere were 68,000 active-duty military personnel permanently assigned to bases in Europe. Further withdrawals could trigger a conflict with the US Congress, which last year stipulated that troop levels in Europe should not fall below 76,000.
Congress set the benchmark after the withdrawal of a brigade from Romania last year; Both sides issued a joint statement demanding a rigorous assessment before making “any significant changes to our war-fighting structure.”
European capitals are reportedly increasingly concerned about the postponement of previously agreed arms sales from the United States to European allies. on friday, Financial Times reported The Trump administration had warned its allies, including Britain, Poland, Lithuania and Estonia, to expect long delays in the delivery of US weapons as the Pentagon prioritized replenishing stockpiles used in the Iran war.
Underlining the change in focus, The US State Department announced Friday It approved military sales of more than $8.6bn (£6.33bn) to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.
The pre-existing transatlantic rift was significantly worsened when Washington’s NATO allies refused to join the war with Iran following the initial US-Israeli attack on February 28.
Merz had proposed using German minesweepers to help open the economically critical Strait of Hormuz; but this was only possible if there was a permanent ceasefire and the mission had UN or EU authority.
In an interview with Der Spiegel magazineMerz said, “I told Donald Trump why we misjudged the war in Iran. Still, I try to maintain a good personal relationship with the American president.”
“So far this effort is successful,” Merz said in an interview published Wednesday, before the U.S. withdrawal was approved by the Pentagon.
Efforts to end the Iran war continued to stall after Trump said Iran was “dissatisfied” with a proposal that would involve both sides lifting their blockades of the Strait of Hormuz and temporarily setting aside nuclear and other security issues.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran has eased its preconditions for talks and dropped its demand that the United States lift the blockade before further negotiations begin. However, no agreement has yet been reached on the timing of the new round of negotiations.
The resumption of negotiations could be complicated by a new wave of Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that two people were killed in an airstrike on the village of Kfar Antichrist, while another attack in the village of Lwaizeh killed three people. It was stated that two people died in the attack on Shoukin village.
The Israeli military said it hit more than 50 Hezbollah “infrastructure facilities” and intercepted a rocket targeting Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
In Washington, D.C., on Saturday, a rare statement opposing Trump from within his own party came from two leading Republican lawmakers, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi and House Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, who are chairmen of armed services committees in their respective chambers.
“We are deeply concerned by the decision to withdraw a US brigade from Germany,” they said in a joint statement posted online.
They added that even if NATO allies increased defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, it would take time to develop their ability to take over conventional deterrence, and prematurely cutting US forces in Europe would “risk undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.”
They also appeared to criticize Trump’s habit of acting unilaterally, saying any significant changes to US forces in Europe “require” review and consultation with Congress and US allies.
Lucy Campbell contributed reporting
