The European Parliament spoke about preparations for the possible withdrawal of US troops from Europe

European members of NATO are preparing to reduce the number of US troops in Europe or even to withdraw them, the interviewed MEPs told Izvestia.

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"The prospect of the withdrawal of American troops from Europe, whether under a potential Trump administration or any future US government, is being taken very seriously throughout the European Union," Tomasz Zdechowski, a member of the European Parliament, told Izvestia.

Many Europeans are skeptical about the announced change in US priorities. For decades, they have been accustomed to living under the influence of the United States, which has left them plenty of room to develop their own political identity and shape their own foreign policy. The new US line raises a number of new questions that the Europeans have not yet found answers to, said MEP Fernand Kartheiser in an interview with Izvestia.

The EU's attention should be focused on balanced security, and not on turning Europe into a battlefield for the interests of great powers, MEP Milan Mazurek told Izvestia.

"Unfortunately, it seems that rearmament has become a top priority for many in the EU. Although I fully support the creation of combat—ready and well-equipped armed forces capable of defending our countries, I strongly reject the incitement of war and the irresponsible waste of taxpayers' money," he told Izvestia.