Yerevan, Armenia — European leaders said on Monday that the sudden decision taken by US President Donald Trump to withdraw thousands of migrants The departure of American forces from Germany This came as a surprise, but a new signal that Europe must care about its security.
The Pentagon announced last week that it would withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, but Trump told reporters on Saturday, “We’re going to cut the number of troops. We’re going to cut down a lot more than 5,000 troops.”
No reason was given for this stepThis surprised NATO, but its decision came amid escalation Disagreement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz Regarding the US-Israeli war on Iran, and Trump’s anger at the reluctance of European allies to get involved in the conflict in the Middle East.
In response to a question about the decision to withdraw 5,000 soldiers from Germany, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Sture said: “I will not exaggerate because I think we expect Europe to take greater responsibility for its security.
“I do not find these numbers to be exciting, but I think they should be dealt with in a harmonious way within the framework of NATO,” he told reporters in Yerevan, Armenia, where European leaders are holding a summit.
“There has been talk about the withdrawal of US forces from Europe for a long time. But the timing of this announcement comes as a surprise, of course,” said European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
“I think this shows that we have to strengthen the European pillar of NATO,” she said.
Asked if she thought Trump was trying to punish Merz, who has said the United States was humiliated by Iran in talks to end the war, Callas said: “I don’t see what’s in President Trump’s head, so he has to explain it himself.”
Over the weekend, NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said officials in the 32-nation military alliance were “working with the United States to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany.”
European allies and Canada have known since he took office again last year that Trump would do just that Withdrawal of troops from Europe Some did indeed leave Romania in October, but US officials pledged to coordinate any movements with their NATO allies to avoid creating a security vacuum.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte downplayed the importance of this step, saying that “there was disappointment at this stage on the American side” regarding European support for the war on Iran.
It is worth noting that France, Spain, and the United Kingdom refused to unleash American forces to use the bases on their territories to attack Iran. Spain prevented them from using its airspace and bases there in the war.
But Rutte, who defended Trump’s leadership in NATO despite the US president’s criticism of the majority of allies, said: “I would say the Europeans have heard a message. They are now making sure that all bilateral base agreements are implemented.”
Rutte added that European countries “decided to put the assets, the main assets, closer to the stage for the next stage.”
He did not provide any details, but the Europeans insisted they would not help monitor the Strait of Hormuz, a major energy trade route, until the war was over.
French President Emmanuel Macron said: “If the United States is willing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, that is great. This is what we have been asking for from the beginning.” But he stressed that the Europeans are not ready to get involved in any process that “does not seem clear to us.”
In another sign of disagreement with Merz, Trump accused the European Union of not adhering to the US trade agreement and announced plans to do so Increased tariffs Next week on cars and trucks produced in the bloc to 25%, a move that would particularly hurt Germany, a major car manufacturer.
Without mentioning Trump or the United States, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen listed recent trade agreements the bloc has concluded with Australia and India, and is now working on with Mexico.
“With like-minded friends, you have stable and reliable supply chains, and Europe has the largest network of free trade agreements,” von der Leyen, who is from Germany, told reporters.
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Cook reported from Brussels.