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The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Friday that Donald Trump had ordered the Pentagon to reduce its contingent in Germany by 9.5 thousand. Soldiers Currently, 34.5 thousand are deployed in Germany. soldiers
Pasak WSJ, It will also be a condition that the number of US troops retained in Germany at any time does not exceed 25,000. This number, which includes both permanently held and rotating soldiers, would be half the past.
The Pentagon did not deny or confirm this information.
Scanpix / SIPA Photo / Donald Short
General Jonas Zemaitis Liudas Zdanavičius, researcher at the Science Center of the Lithuanian Military Academy. fifteenmin He claimed that the withdrawal of some troops from Germany could be a tactical step. He noted that Berlin was not fulfilling its commitment to spend 2% on defense. GDP – last year this figure was 1.39 percent.
According to the researcher, although Germany plans to increase defense funds, this is happening very slowly. And despite the country’s good financial position before the crisis, it is unclear whether the defense budget will actually increase.
Lithuania has nothing to worry about
According to L. Zdanavičius, the security situation in the region would depend on where all or part of the mentioned soldiers would be led.
“If they were in Poland or even on a rotating basis in the Baltic States, the security situation would improve a little bit.” In general, the more American troops there are in Europe, the better the security situation in Lithuania will be.
When these soldiers are closer, they can get there fast enough in crisis situations. These forces act as a deterrent, “said the researcher.
Ministry of National Defense (Ministry of National Defense) fifteenmin The response sent indicates that the troop movement in Europe is ongoing, therefore Lithuania has no reason to believe that the announced reduction in the number of troops in Germany would mean a diminishing commitment by the United States to European security.
Photo by Sigismund Gedvila / 15min / Ministry of National Defense
“Lithuania remains a real continuation of the United States’ additional commitments to European security and a strong transatlantic connection,” says the Ministry of National Defense.
KAM hopes that not all troops transferred from Germany will leave Europe, but adds that “there have been no bilateral consultations with the Pentagon on these issues.”
Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius told the LRT on Monday that it was important not to “dramatize” the US decision, as the presence of Americans in the region has been growing recently. According to the Minister, Lithuania would appreciate the deployment of the withdrawn troops from Germany to Poland. The Prime Minister of this country, Mateusz Morawieckis, has also expressed that hope.
Poland is one of NATO’s pioneers and plans to spend 2.1 percent on defense this year. GDP Last summer, an agreement was reached to move an additional 1,000 US troops from Germany to Poland, but hopes were raised for a permanent US base called Fort Trump in the country.
L. Zdanavičius: “It does not mean that the United States goes for everything.”
According to L. Zdanavičius, even if the WSJ information is correct, 25 thousand. Sufficient soldiers remain in Germany, and the entire infrastructure remains. The researcher predicted that at least some of the bases would remain that could be used if necessary.
“That does not mean that the United States will come out for everything,” he said.
Waiting for Russia’s reaction?
Viktor Olevičius, an expert on US-Russia relations, told the WSJ that “the possible withdrawal of US forces east from Germany to Poland will increase pressure on Russia’s western borders and lead to visible retaliation in Moscow.”
When asked what Moscow’s reaction might be to the deployment of US forces in Poland, Zdanavičius pointed to Russia’s constant narrative that he was under pressure from all sides and therefore forced to react.
“Although their own actions are causing a backlash from NATO. It is not that NATO is in a hurry to put pressure on Russia, it is only necessary to guarantee security in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea region, Poland.
Russia will not do more than it does now. You can take some demonstrative measures, but you are already intensely militarizing the Kaliningrad region, conducting active exercises there, prioritizing the western district “, – 15 minutes L.Zdanavičius said.
It appears that Germany had not yet been informed of this decision on Friday. The country’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas, said in an interview on Sunday that relations with the United States were “complicated” and that Berlin “would realize” if the United States implements plans to withdraw troops.
Jeff Rathke, a former security officer and researcher at Johns Hopkins University, is critical of such a possible move by the United States.
Photo by Lukas Balandis / 15min / Heavy equipment from the United States Battalion arrived at the Pabradė train station
“Those who think that Merkel will be punished in this way are wrong. It is important to remember that the presence of the American forces in Germany is not intended to defend Germany.” It is a platform where the United States can interact and support NATO allies, deter Russia and project power into the Middle East and North Africa when necessary, “Rathke told the Washington Post.
Military expert Alexei Leonkov told the WSJ that tensions between the US. USA And Germany on the withdrawal of forces and other factors could help Moscow gain influence by pushing the Nord Stream 2 project.
“Germany’s economic growth has been hampered by the need for the United States to impose sanctions on Russia for everything. Perhaps we will see a change here,” Leonkov told the US publication.
True, recently in Moscow-Berlin relations The attack by Russian programmers against the Bundestag caused additional tensions..
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