NATO Military Committee head assumes withdrawal of some US troops from Europe
Фото: Giuseppe Cavo Dragone (Getty Images)
The United States is likely to maintain its commitment to NATO, although it may reduce its military presence in Europe as its priorities shift to the Indo-Pacific, according to Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
Dragone spoke on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, where European leaders discussed the new administration of President Donald Trump, including the prospect of weakening US security protections.
The United States “will not pull out of NATO,” Dragone said in an interview in Munich. But the withdrawal of some of the 100,000 troops stationed in Europe could be on the agenda because of “some commitments that the United States has far away from here, in the Pacific,” he said.
However, “I don’t think there will be a huge number of Americans taken out from Europe,” the admiral said.
European security was paramount at the meeting in Munich, above all how to resolve Russia's three-year war against Ukraine. European and Ukrainian leaders were caught off guard by Trump's plan to meet with Vladimir Putin, and many worried they might be cut out of the talks.
Dragone joined calls from many NATO members in Europe to increase defense spending, acknowledging that changing US priorities means the continent needs to build up its military strength.
“There is a kind of imbalance, so we need to re-balance,” the admiral said, calling it "blasphemy" to suggest that Europe is unable to defend itself.
Dragone said that any reduction in the US presence in Europe should be accepted by NATO from an “operational attitude,” adding that the military in the region should be able to fill the gap.
Read more about the US plans in RBC-Ukraine's article.
