US NATO Ambassador Matthew Whitaker said that proposals related to the withdrawal of tens of thousands of soldiers from Europe will be discussed by the end of this year.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO countries for not meeting the target of a minimum 2% of GDP in defense spending, saying that this gap leaves the US with more burden in the alliance.
Responding to a question about President Trump considering withdrawing US troops from Europe, Ambassador Whitaker said, nothing has been decided yet, but the allies are ready for talks on the matter.
As soon as we start, discussions will be held within the framework of NATO. It is certain that after the summit, at some point this year, we will start discussing. All allies are ready, he said, referring to the NATO summit in The Hague, the Netherlands in June.
In March, the Telegraph revealed that President Trump was considering withdrawing about 35,000 US troops stationed in Germany. There are currently about 160,000 US military personnel stationed outside the country, mostly in Europe.
President Trump is reportedly considering moving part of his forces in Europe closer to NATO countries that have increased defense spending to meet commitments.
A plan to withdraw US troops from Europe could be part of a strategy to adjust the US role in NATO in the direction of prioritizing member countries that spend more on defense.
During his first term, President Trump ordered the withdrawal of nearly 12,000 soldiers from Germany, where the US has many large military bases, including the Ramstein air base and the headquarters of the US European Command (EUCOM). However, the decision was later suspended by President Joe Biden.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told NATO allies in February this year that harsh strategic reality does not allow the US to continue to focus primarily on European security.
In March, The Atlantic reported that Hegseth and Vice President J.D. Vance expressed dissatisfaction with their European allies in a separate social media chat, in which Mr. Hegseth said he was unhappy with Europe's dependence on the United States.
Such statements, along with President Trump's repeated warnings that he would not protect NATO countries that spend too little on defense, have raised many doubts about the US's commitment to the alliance.
