US to reduce troops in Europe to 2021 levels, Pentagon says
DW.com • • world
Key Points:
- The Pentagon announced a reduction of US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) in Europe from four to three, bringing troop levels back to those of 2021 before the Ukraine conflict escalation.
- This troop reduction aligns with President Donald Trump's "America First" policy, encouraging NATO allies to assume greater responsibility for Europe's defense.
- A planned US troop deployment to Poland has been temporarily delayed due to the reduction in BCTs, with final decisions pending further strategic and operational analysis.
- The reduction follows a recent Pentagon decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany amid diplomatic tensions between the US and Germany.
- Most of the withdrawn troops are coming from an armored brigade that was preparing to deploy to Poland, rather than from forces already stationed in Poland or Germany.