The U.S. will not suddenly reduce its military presence in Europe, NATO’s secretary-general has said.
Mark Rutte added that any U.S. pivot to Asia, should it occur, would be “coordinated” with European allies.
The NATO secretary-general's comments come at a time of mounting anxiety in Europe over the future of transatlantic unity, with concerns that the U.S. may retreat from its role as the continent’s security guarantor, a position it has held for 80 years.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have repeatedly criticized European nations for relying too heavily on Washington for security and have urged NATO’s European members to assume greater responsibility for regional defense.
Earlier, media reports suggested that Washington was considering scaling down its military presence in Europe.
However, speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO’s foreign ministers on Thursday, Rutte played down such concerns, saying that “there are no plans for them [U.S.] to all of a sudden draw down their presence here in Europe. But we know that for America being the superpower they are, they have to attend to more theatres.”
“We do everything in the alliance in the spirit of no surprises, of working together,” he said. “If the Americans want to pivot more to Asia, obviously we will do that in a coordinated manner.”
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of U.S. troops in Europe has fluctuated between around 75,000 and 105,000, with some 63,000 permanently stationed while others rotate in and out, according to the Council for Foreign Relations.
The NATO secretary-general's comments come at a time of mounting anxiety in Europe over the future of transatlantic unity, with concerns that the U.S. may retreat from its role as the continent’s security guarantor, a position it has held for 80 years.
U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration have repeatedly criticized European nations for relying too heavily on Washington for security and have urged NATO’s European members to assume greater responsibility for regional defense.
Earlier, media reports suggested that Washington was considering scaling down its military presence in Europe.
However, speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO’s foreign ministers on Thursday, Rutte played down such concerns, saying that “there are no plans for them [U.S.] to all of a sudden draw down their presence here in Europe. But we know that for America being the superpower they are, they have to attend to more theatres.”
“We do everything in the alliance in the spirit of no surprises, of working together,” he said. “If the Americans want to pivot more to Asia, obviously we will do that in a coordinated manner.”
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of U.S. troops in Europe has fluctuated between around 75,000 and 105,000, with some 63,000 permanently stationed while others rotate in and out, according to the Council for Foreign Relations.
‘Hysteria and hyperbole’
Rutte’s comments were backed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who dismissed reports of a possible reduction in U.S. troops in Europe as “hysteria and hyperbole,” but stressed that European nations needed to ramp up their defense spending.
Rubio reiterated Trump’s call for NATO members to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, a significant increase from the current 2% target, which no NATO country, including the United States, currently meets.
Speaking alongside Rutte, Rubio said: “No one expects you will be able to do this in one year or two, but the pathway must be there.”
Affirming U.S. commitment to the Western military alliance, Rubio said that Trump was “not against NATO. He is against a NATO that does not have the capabilities that it needs to fulfil the obligations that the treaty imposes upon each and every member state.”
He added: “The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been.”
According to NATO estimates, 23 of the alliance’s 32 members met or exceeded the 2% defense spending target last year.
Galvanized by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many EU states have ramped up their military spending, with Poland leading the charge, earmarking 4.7% of its GDP for defense, the highest among all NATO members.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday, following a European Union defense ministers’ meeting in Warsaw, that Poland plans to spend 5% of its GDP on defense by 2026.
Rubio reiterated Trump’s call for NATO members to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, a significant increase from the current 2% target, which no NATO country, including the United States, currently meets.
Speaking alongside Rutte, Rubio said: “No one expects you will be able to do this in one year or two, but the pathway must be there.”
US ‘as active in NATO as it has ever been’
Affirming U.S. commitment to the Western military alliance, Rubio said that Trump was “not against NATO. He is against a NATO that does not have the capabilities that it needs to fulfil the obligations that the treaty imposes upon each and every member state.”
He added: “The United States is as active in NATO as it has ever been.”
According to NATO estimates, 23 of the alliance’s 32 members met or exceeded the 2% defense spending target last year.
Galvanized by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, many EU states have ramped up their military spending, with Poland leading the charge, earmarking 4.7% of its GDP for defense, the highest among all NATO members.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Thursday, following a European Union defense ministers’ meeting in Warsaw, that Poland plans to spend 5% of its GDP on defense by 2026.
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