NATO force review: US says it is not leaving Europe

A senior Pentagon official told NATO allies on Thursday that the United States is not leaving Europe or the alliance, as Washington reviews its forces on the continent and presses European countries to take more responsibility for their own defence.

US Defense Under Secretary Elbridge Colby visited NATO headquarters in Brussels for talks with alliance ambassadors. President Donald Trump's administration launched a six-month review in July, raising concern among allies that the United States could reduce its military presence in Europe.

Washington has sent a questionnaire asking European countries to show how they are moving toward taking the lead on protecting the continent after agreeing to increase military budgets.

Colby said the discussions were about how Europe “can and is taking primary responsibility for its own conventional defence”. He said Washington wanted to accelerate that process and assess the strategic posture of US forces in Europe.

Colby also pointed to issues including access, basing and overflights. After the meeting, he said the United States was “not looking in every context for a complete carte blanche” but needed the ability to operate effectively and predictably.

“The United States is not leaving the continent, it's not leaving the alliance, it's saying we're going to make this fit for purpose,” Colby told journalists.

NATO chief Mark Rutte told Colby that Washington's allies were making progress by increasing defence spending and acquiring key capabilities. “It is still continuing. Still, much more to be done. We will get there,” Rutte said.

A European diplomat told AFP the talks between Colby and ambassadors from NATO members had been constructive and said Colby was heartened by the discussion.

Trump has long pressured Europe to spend more on defence while Washington signals it wants to focus more on other challenges, including China. The Pentagon has about 80,000 troops stationed in Europe and has already told allies it is reducing the assets it makes available for NATO defence plans.

Washington also said in May it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, but Trump later said he was sending the same number to neighbouring Poland. European countries agreed in 2025 to devote five percent of GDP to security-related spending by 2035.