Politico reported a possible reduction in the number of US troops in Europe by 30%

The United States may withdraw up to a third of its troops from Europe. This was reported by the Politico newspaper on July 28, citing sources in NATO.

"One of the NATO officials, who wished to remain anonymous, told Politico that it is possible to reduce the number of troops in Europe by up to 30 percent," the article says.

According to the newspaper, the Pentagon's report on this issue is still under development, and Germany, on whose territory the US military is based, does not have information on the timing of possible changes.

Eileen Mathle, a senior researcher on security policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations, stressed in an interview with the publication that any reduction should take place "in an orderly, coordinated manner, and not unexpectedly for European allies."

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What is the West trying to achieve and how can a direct clash be avoided?

On March 2, it was reported that European politicians expect that US President Donald Trump may withdraw about 20,000 American troops from Europe amid disagreements with allies. It was clarified that such a measure is a "real nightmare" for the security of European countries.

On February 19, the Financial Times noted that without Washington's support, the European Union (EU) countries are unable to conduct a single military operation. At the same time, it was reported that Europe feared the withdrawal of American troops from the continent amid negotiations between Moscow and Washington.