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Partial US troop withdrawal unlikely to affect Europe's defense capabilities — general

According to Alexus Grynkewich, there is always rebalancing amongst the positions that different nations fill across the alliance

BRUSSELS, December 5. /TASS/. Washington’s move to reduce US troops in Europe will not affect the continent’s defense capabilities, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Alexus Grynkewich told reporters in Mons, Belgium.

"We're ready today to meet any crisis or contingency," Politico quoted him as saying. The general added that he was confident in Europe’s capabilities. He insisted that fewer American troops would not strain Europe’s defenses.

"There's always rebalancing amongst the positions that different nations fill across the alliance," Grynkewich noted, adding that "it's natural that some of that will happen over the course of the next several months and several years."

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski, in turn, told the media outlet that "all the processes of NATO are functioning flawlessly." According to him, "in a practical sense, the Americans are fulfilling their obligations very well."

Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said earlier that the US planned to reduce its troops in the country from 1,700 to about 1,000. Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu explained that the US was reducing troops in Europe amid plans to focus more attention on the Indo-Pacific region. Ukraine’s Kyiv Post newspaper reported that the US intended to reduce the number of its troops in Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia in mid-December.

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