Romania Says U.S. to Withdraw Some Troops from NATO’s Eastern Flank

Romania has reported that the United States plans to withdraw about 800 troops from NATO's eastern flank, including from the Romanian air base in Mihail Kogălniceanu.

The Gaze reports on it, referring to Reuters.

According to the Romanian Ministry of Defense, Washington's decision was expected due to a shift in U.S. priorities toward protecting its own borders and activity in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Approximately 1,000 American troops will remain in Romania, while about 800 will be withdrawn. The exact details of the rotation have not been disclosed.

The Donald Trump administration had previously informed its European allies of the need for greater independence in security matters. 

The Romanian ministry noted that the U.S. brigade had units in several NATO countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia, and that the deployment adjustment was taking place against the backdrop of NATO's consolidated presence on the eastern flank.

“The decision also took into account that NATO has consolidated its presence and activity on the eastern flank, which enables the United States to adjust its military posture in the region,” the ministry said.

NATO representatives said the alliance is in close contact with member states regarding troop deployments, stressing that adjustments to the number of U.S. forces in the region are not unusual. 

As The Gaze reported earlier, France’s army is preparing for the potential deployment of its forces to Ukraine as early as next year under European security guarantees, the country’s top military officer confirmed.