European leaders have found fresh enthusiasm for upholding Europe’s role in NATO after the United States announced it would be reducing its troops on the continent.
President Donald Trump made good on his threat to reduce U.S. troops in Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested Iran was “humiliating” the global superpower, removing 5,000 military personnel from the country’s bases and promising further slashes.
The announcements came ahead of European Union leaders gathering in Yerevan, Armenia, for a European Political Community summit. Several leaders echoed each other in expressing shock and emphasizing that EU members of NATO must “do more” to hold up their side of the alliance.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte believes “the Europeans have heard a message.”
“There has been talk about withdrawing U.S. troops from Europe for a long time,” Kaja Kallas, top diplomat for the European Union, said on Monday. “But of course, the timing of this announcement comes
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