US to Scale Back Troops in Eastern Europe Amid Strategic Shift, Romania Confirms

Romania confirmed that the United States will reduce its troop presence on the eastern border of NATO, a move connected to shifting strategic priorities. The Romanian defense ministry said this was not a total withdrawal but a planned closure of the rotation of a brigade that had been stationed across several NATO countries, including Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Hungary.

The re-deployment follows earlier indications that Washington was mulling pulling out as many as 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. Currently, there are about 1,700 US troops stationed in Romania, and about 900 to 1,000 will remain. Romanian authorities emphasized strategic capabilities remain in place with key installations such as the Deveselu missile-defense system and the Campia Turzii and Mihail Kogalniceanu air bases remaining operational.

Though NATO officials downplayed the significance of the import, saying the overall US stance in Europe is more robust than it had been prior to 2022, analysts warned that the move could be interpreted as a concerning signal to Russia. There has been fear that Moscow would interpret the reduction as wavering American interest in the Black Sea area, which would push forward assertive approaches.

Romania's defense leadership insisted on European solidarity and hinted at more intensified regional defense cooperation. The action aligns with the February US administration declaration prioritizing the Indo-Pacific region, a shift in global defense focus in strategy.

Despite guarantees, as per some experts, the move detracts from Romania's security image as a frontline NATO state. The rest of the American forces are to sustain deterrence activities and uphold commitments to regional security.