Reuters reported that on April 28, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said NATO could rely on Berlin to increase its contribution to European defense, in the context of the Atlantic alliance facing epochy geopolitical changes.
The reassurance for the allies was given by Mr. Steinmeier in his speech at the 70th anniversary of Germany's entry into NATO, held at the bloc's headquarters in Brussels ( Belgian).
President Steinmeier said that after a turbulent past, Germany was forced to choose a development path based on restraint and integration, that is, to become a part of major international organizations such as NATO, the United Nations and the European Union (EU).
However, he stressed that the situation has changed and Berlin will need to become stronger to face new security challenges, especially as armed conflicts once again flare up in Europe.
Mr. Steinmeier's speech came amid repeated pressure from US President Donald Trump and members of his administration to force European countries in NATO to shoulder much of their defense responsibilities, including increasing military spending.
According to some sources recently collected by NBC News, the US is said to be considering withdrawing about 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe, where the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is still ongoing.
Although this figure only accounts for about 12% of the total US force in Europe, if implemented, the plan could still affect US units stationed in Romania and Poland - two NATO member states located close to the Russian border.
The move has many European officials concerned about instability in US-backed security commitments to NATO. A NATO diplomat acknowledged that the US role in the alliance could decline in the coming time, but still expressed his hope that Washington would maintain the highest possible level of influence.
Some other European officials believe that if Washington really plans to reduce its military presence in Europe, the US needs to announce a clear roadmap for its allies to promptly prepare and respond.
