Poland’s foreign minister said US troop levels in Poland will stay roughly at previous levels after a Trump statement about sending an additional 5,000 troops. He thanked Trump for maintaining the rotation and presence of American troops in Poland. Trump’s social media announcement created confusion because it followed earlier plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. The Pentagon later postponed a rotational deployment of about 4,000 troops to Poland and shelved plans to deploy ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is attending a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Helsingborg, where US officials are expected to press for higher defense spending and greater burden sharing while focusing on Arctic security. European allies seek reassurance amid uncertainty about US military drawdowns.
"Poland's foreign minister said US troop levels in the NATO ally will remain roughly the same following US President Donald Trump's statement that the United States would be sending an additonal 5,000 troops there. Speaking in Sweden ahead of talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other NATO foreign ministers on May 22, Radoslaw Sikorski thanked Trump for "his announcement that the rotation, the presence of American troops in Poland, will be maintained more or less at previous levels.""
"Trump's announcement on social media that the US would be sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland "based on the successful election" of Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who took office last August, added to confusion about US plans for troop numbers in Europe. Earlier this month, Trump announced plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. The Pentagon later confirmed it was postponing a planned rotational deployment of roughly 4,000 troops to Poland and shelving plans to deploy a battalion of ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles to Germany."
"Rubio's participation at the meeting in Helsingborg, one of the final senior-level ministerial meetings before alliance leaders convene for a summit in Ankara in July.comes as European allies seek reassurances over US troop drawdowns and Washington's shifting rhetoric on the alliance. According to the State Department, the top US diplomat is expected to press allies for higher defense spending and "greater burden sharing" while also focusing on Arctic security."
"But the meeting comes at a moment of deep unease. European officials are seeking clarity on how much Washington plans to scale back its military presence on the continent following a series of abrupt Pentagon moves that have rattled the alliance. 'Kept In The Dark' The recent annoucments aboyut troop movements have raised fears across Europe that Washington may be weakening its security guarantees at a dangerous moment."
Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
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