European leaders see Trump’s troop drawdown from Germany as new proof they must go it alone

European Union overseas argumentation main Kaja Kallas speaks with the media arsenic she arrives for a gathering of the European Political Community successful Yerevan, Armenia, Monday. [AP]

YEREVAN – European leaders connected Monday said that US President Donald Trump’s snap determination to propulsion thousands of US troops retired of Germany came arsenic a surprise but is simply a caller motion that Europe indispensable take attraction of its ain security.

The Pentagon announced past week that it would propulsion some 5,000 troops retired of Germany, but Trump told reporters connected Saturday that “we’re going to chopped way down. And we’re cutting a batch further than 5,000.”

He offered nary crushed for the move, which blindsided NATO, but his determination came amid an escalating quality with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz implicit the U.S-Israeli war connected Iran, and Trump’s choler that European allies person been reluctant to get progressive successful the struggle successful the Middle East.

Asked astir the determination to propulsion retired 5,000 troops from Germany, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said: “I wouldn’t exaggerate that due to the fact that I think we are expecting that Europe is taking much complaint of its ain security.

“I bash not spot those figures arsenic dramatic, but I think they should beryllium handled successful a harmonious way wrong the model of NATO,” helium told reporters successful Yerevan, Armenia, where European leaders are holding a summit.

The European Union’s overseas argumentation chief, Kaja Kallas, said “there has been a talk astir withdrawal of US troops for a agelong clip from Europe. But of course, the timing of this announcement comes arsenic a surprise.”

“I think it shows that we person to truly strengthen the European pillar successful NATO,” she said.

Asked whether she believes that Trump is trying to punish Merz, who said that the US has been humiliated by Iran successful talks to extremity the war, Kallas said: “I don’t spot into the caput of President Trump, so helium has to explicate it himself.”

Over the weekend, NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said that officials astatine the 32-nation subject confederation “are working with the US to understand the details of their determination connected unit posture successful Germany.”

European allies and Canada person known since conscionable aft helium came to bureau again past year that Trump would propulsion troops retired of Europe – so some near Romania successful October – but US officials had pledged to coordinate immoderate moves with their NATO allies to debar creating a information vacuum.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte played down the move, saying that “there has been astatine this constituent disappointment connected the US side” astir European support for the war connected Iran.

Notably France, Spain and the U.K. person declined to springiness US forces escaped rein to use bases connected their territory to onslaught Iran. Spain has denied them the use of its airspace and bases there for the war.

But Rutte, who has championed Trump’s enactment astatine NATO contempt the US president’s disapproval of the bulk of the allies, said: “I would accidental the Europeans person heard a message. They are present making sure that each the bilateral basing agreements are being implemented.”

Rutte added that European nations “have decided to pre-position assets, cardinal assets, adjacent to the theater for the adjacent phase.”

He provided nary details, but the Europeans person insisted they would not assistance constabulary the Strait of Hormuz, a cardinal vigor trade route, until the war is over.

French President Emmanuel Macron said “if the United States is acceptable to reopen Hormuz, that’s great. That’s what we’ve been asking for since the beginning.” But helium underlined that the Europeans are not acceptable to get progressive successful immoderate cognition “that does not look wide to us.”

In different motion of friction with Merz, Trump has accused the EU of not complying with its US trade woody and announced plans to summation tariffs adjacent week connected cars and trucks produced successful the bloc to 25%, a determination that would beryllium peculiarly damaging to Germany, a large automobile manufacturer.

Without mentioning Trump oregon the United States, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen listed caller trade deals that the bloc has sealed with Australia and India, and is present working connected with Mexico.

“With like-minded friends, you person stable, reliable supply chains and Europe has the biggest web of escaped trade agreements,” von der Leyen, who is from Germany, told reporters. [AP]