Yesterday at 20:15
Following the U.S. announcement to reduce its military presence in Romania, other NATO members will deploy their forces to the country to fill the gap, Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu said in an interview with RFE/RL.
“Of course, we all wanted the U.S. military presence to remain unchanged or even increase,”
— noted Țoiu, adding that Washington made the decision based on a ‘well-grounded analysis’ suggesting that European NATO members must enhance their own defense capabilities.
The minister emphasized that Romania will soon see a stronger NATO presence:
“By the end of this year and into the next, we will see a stronger NATO presence in Romania and a greater ability of the Alliance to intervene if Romania faces a direct threat,”
— said Țoiu, clarifying that this refers specifically to allied forces.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the importance of the troop reduction, saying:
“I can tell you about the reduction in Romania, but it’s not very significant. It doesn’t matter much.”
However, the decision sparked criticism from Republican defense policy experts in Washington. In a joint statement, Senate and House Armed Services Committee Chairs Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers declared their firm opposition, warning that premature withdrawal from NATO’s eastern flank — especially just weeks after Russian drones violated Romanian airspace — could undermine deterrence and invite further Russian aggression.
Romania’s Defense Ministry confirmed that NATO allies had been informed of U.S. plans to reduce troop numbers in Eastern Europe, including at Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base. The U.S. Army Command in Europe and Africa later officially announced the withdrawal of a combat group, returning it to the United States on a permanent basis.
