NATO chief plays down concern over US troop plans in Germany

BRUSSELS: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Tuesday played down concern that the United States will rush to pull thousands of its troops out of Germany, saying that Washington has made no final decision on when such a withdrawal might take place or even how it would happen.
President Donald Trump has said that he is ordering a major reduction in US troop strength in Germany, from around 34,500 personnel down to 25,000. Members of his own party have criticized the move as a gift to Russia and a threat to US national security.
"The US has made it clear that no final decision has been made on how and when," Stoltenberg told reporters on the eve of a video meeting between NATO defense ministers, where the issue is to be discussed. Stoltenberg has spoken to Trump about the move and says he's also in contact with Germany.
"What matters for me is that we maintain credible deterrence and defense and that we maintain the strong link between North America and Europe,” he said. He underlined that Washington has increased its military presence in Europe in recent years, and that European allies are spending more on defense.
Trump on Monday lashed out at Germany for failing to pay enough for its own defense, branding the NATO ally “delinquent” for not meeting a goal set in 2014 for members to halt budget cuts and move toward spending at least 2% of gross national product on defense by 2024.
Stoltenberg declined to speculate on whether the timing of Trump's announcement has anything to do with the approach of the US elections in November.