US NATO envoy urges Europe to step up as US troops pull back
At the Warsaw Security Forum, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told European officials that Washington remains committed to European defence despite a review that will trim thousands of troops and key assets from the continent.
During a panel on NATO 3.0 at the Warsaw Security Forum, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker emphasized that the United States continues to stand by its European allies, even as a comprehensive review plans to pull thousands of troops and critical equipment from the continent. He told European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius that the pullback does not signal a loss of commitment, but rather a shift toward a more European-led alliance.
Kubilius clarified that NATO 3.0 is not a message that Europe must fend for itself, but that it must develop the capabilities to protect its own territory, estimating that replacing US strategic assets could cost up to €500 billion. Experts suggest Europe may need 300,000 extra troops if US support continues to wane. The Pentagon has already ordered the removal of roughly 5,000 soldiers from Germany and cancelled a long-range fires battalion deployment. Whitaker noted that the review will be completed by December and presented to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and he pointed to Poland’s 4.7% GDP defence spending as an example of the alliance’s growing self-reliance.
Why it matters
The shift could reshape transatlantic security and place a heavier defence burden on European nations.
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