The US announces that it will review its military presence in Europe and pressures NATO to assume more defense spending
will evaluate the deployment of troops and bases in Europe while requiring NATO allies to take a more active role in their own defense
Defense Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced this Thursday the start of a comprehensive six-month review of the US military presence and bases in Europe, a measure with which Washington seeks to accelerate the transfer of greater defense responsibilities to European NATO allies.
During a meeting of defense ministers of the Atlantic Alliance in Brussels, Hegseth stated that the initiative is part of his vision of a “NATO 3.0”, in which Europe assumes leadership of its own security. “We are redoubling our efforts to make NATO what it should always be: a balanced alliance in which Europe takes the lead in its own defense,” he declared.
The official explained that the evaluation will analyze the deployment of US forces, military infrastructure and access to strategic bases in European territory. “It will be a full-fledged review,” he said, specifying that it will be carried out in coordination with the United States Armed Forces, the European Command, Congress and NATO allies.
According to Hegseth, the goal is to ensure that the Alliance moves “rapidly and irreversibly toward European leadership,” while ensuring that US troops remain prepared to respond to Washington's global priorities.
The decision comes in a context of growing tensions within NATO over defense burden sharing. During his speech, the head of the Pentagon criticized several allies for limiting the use of bases and air corridors for US military operations related to the conflict against Iran. “These allies put our sons and daughters at risk by denying predictable access to bases and overflights that should never have been in doubt,” he said.
Hegseth further warned that the outcome of the review could influence the level of US military commitment within the Alliance. "If other allies do not make this expenditure urgently, our quotas will be reduced. NATO will be a two-way street," he said.
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