Kallas Surprised by US Troop Drawdown From Germany

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the timing of the United States’ planned drawdown of 5,000 troops from Germany came as a surprise, raising questions about the future direction of security cooperation.

“The timing of this announcement comes as a surprise. I think it shows that we really have to strengthen the European pillar in NATO, and we have to really do more”, Kallas said as she arrived at a European Political Community summit in Armenia.

She said the move was a signal that European countries needed to strengthen their role within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

At the same time, Kallas said the presence of US forces on the continent did not serve only Europe’s interests. “The American troops are not in Europe only for protecting the European interests, but also the American interests”, she added.

The remarks come amid debate over the future of transatlantic relations and the defense capabilities of European states.

(reuters, bak)