US announces troop review in Europe and criticizes NATO allies
United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced this Thursday (17) a new review of the deployment of American troops in Europe and threatened to withhold part of American contributions to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) if allies who unduly benefit from the alliance do not meet their defense spending commitments.
Hegseth, addressing defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, said the American review will last up to six months and will include consultations with the U.S. Congress, which has established a minimum number of American troops in Europe through legislation.
While he did not explicitly say that the review could result in reductions in the number of U.S. troops in Europe, he emphasized that the goal would be to encourage the continent to contribute more while ensuring that the U.S. military can meet its global commitments.
"Make no mistake, this will be a true review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO moves quickly and irreversibly towards leadership in Europe, assuming primary responsibility for the continent's defense," Hegseth said.
Hegseth also sharply criticized allies who did not support the United States during the war with Iran, after some denied the United States the right to use military bases and fly over areas for war-related activities.
He stated that the American review would ensure that the rights to use military bases and fly over areas were assured.
His comments came as alliance countries scrambled to fill gaps in their crisis forces - national capabilities committed to the transatlantic alliance in the event of an emergency - after Washington cut some contributions with immediate effect.
The US informed its allies last month that it had decided to reduce the pool of US military capabilities available to the alliance in the event of a crisis, raising urgent questions as leaders prepare for the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.
The move aims to gradually end a "harmful codependency" of American forces as Washington faces the potential for simultaneous conflicts in multiple theaters of operations, according to NATO's supreme commander, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich.
Arriving for a meeting with his counterparts at the alliance's Brussels headquarters, Hegseth said the United States would be frank, both in public and private, about countries needing to do more to meet their commitments.
"(There are) some who still need to do more, and we will be open about that, both in private and in public. I think it's important for friends to be honest with each other," Hegseth said.
"NATO 3.0 is the post-Cold War recognition that we need to return to a hard-line military alliance, with real military capabilities capable of deterring right here on the continent and taking the lead in Europe's conventional defense."
Source: CNN