The United States will pull back some of its troops stationed in Romania, according to an announcement confirmed by Romanian authorities on Wednesday, October 29. According to the Defense Ministry (MApN), Romania and NATO allied countries have been informed of the US decision regarding the “resizing” of American troops in Europe.
However, the troop movements are not a withdrawal, according to the Romanian authorities, but the end of troop rotations in Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Roughly 1,000 soldiers will remain in the country, according to official figures.
“The resizing of US forces represents an effect of the new priorities of the presidential administration, announced as early as February. The decision also took into account the fact that NATO has strengthened its presence and activity on the Eastern Flank, which allows the United States to adjust its military posture in the region,” MApN stated.
In commenting on the decision, Romanian defense minister Ionuț Moșteanu said that the US will likely focus more on the Indo-Pacific region.
“Each state occasionally adjusts its strategic priorities,” he noted, as cited by Biziday.
“It is not about the withdrawal of American troops, but about halting rotations. Approximately 900-1,000 soldiers will remain in Romania. Strategic capabilities remain unchanged; the Mihail Kogălniceanu base will continue to be developed,” the minister added, noting that the partnership between Romania and the US remains solid.
Around 800 US troops will be pulled back primarily from the Mihail Kogălniceanu, while the teams at Deveselu and Câmpia Turzii remain unchanged.
Ionuț Moșteanu also said Romania is in constant contact with other NATO countries regarding defense. “Since 2022, a lot has happened. Europe has understood that more attention must be given to each state,” he said, highlighting the roughly 4,000 French troops currently present in Romania.
The reduction in US troops in Eastern Europe was largely expected. In April of this year, NBC News reported that the Trump administration is considering pulling back around half of the American soldiers now present in Eastern Europe. The Biden administration sent around 20,000 soldiers in 2022 to Poland, Romania, and the Baltic countries in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Half of the total troops were sent to Poland.
The troop contingent in Romania ebbed and flowed since then. Last month, Romanian president Nicusor Dan informed the Parliament that he approved a request by the United States to bring additional forces to Mihail Kogalnicanu base at the Black Sea, in light of the rising tensions in the Middle East.
Commenting on the situation, Social Democratic member of the European Parliament Victor Negrescu said that the troop withdrawal is a warning signal. “This resizing of the American presence on NATO’s Eastern Flank, including some forces located at Mihail Kogălniceanu, has direct implications for the security of Romania and the Black Sea region,” he stated.
The MEP argued that Romanian president Nicușor Dan’s visit to the United States should be accelerated, to show that Romania remains a reliable strategic partner to the US.
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