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NATO chief says drawing down American troops in Europe to take time

In 2025, the Pentagon redeployed a brigade from the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army from Romania back to its home base

WASHINGTON, February 14. /TASS/. The process of reducing the number of the US army units stationed in Europe will not be quick, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in an interview with PBS.

"This will take time because what for the US is crucially important, is that they see the seriousness [of European countries’ intentions to significantly increase defense spending]," he said. The NATO chief emphasized that under US pressure, many countries have already boosted their military budgets, including Germany.

"And yes, it is true the US wants to pivot more towards Asia," he added, explaining that Washington was concerned about a potential crisis in the Taiwan Strait.

In 2025, the Pentagon redeployed a brigade from the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army from Romania back to its home base. The troops returned to the state of Kentucky.

At the end of 2025, the US Congress approved a defense budget that explicitly barred the Pentagon from reducing the number of American troops stationed in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days.

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