Rubio tells NATO allies to face up to troop cuts in Europe

Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Washington's NATO allies Friday to face up to U.S. troop cuts in Europe, as the alliance sought to patch over tensions with President Donald Trump ahead of a July summit.

After Trump lashed out at allies over their response to his war in Iran, his administration sowed confusion in Europe with a string of announcements on force changes on the continent in the past month.

Trump left heads spinning as NATO foreign ministers met in the Swedish city of Helsingborg by announcing he would send 5,000 troops to Poland, in an apparent reversal of Washington earlier calling off the planned deployment.

The shift was welcomed by NATO chief Mark Rutte and Poland's foreign minister, but it fuelled concerns about a lack of coordination between the United States and its allies in the face of a menacing Russia.

"It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate," said Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard.

Trump's seeming U-turn came after Washington earlier this month abruptly announced it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany following a spat between the U.S. president and Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

After the meeting, Rubio insisted it was "well understood in the alliance that the United States troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted."

"That work was already ongoing, and it's been done in coordination with our allies," he told journalists.

"I'm not saying they're going to be thrilled about it, but they certainly are aware of it."

The U.S. top diplomat signalled that Washington would soon also announce that it was cutting the number of troops it puts at NATO's disposal in case of an emergency.

A string of NATO ministers agreed that U.S. drawdowns were widely expected as Washington focuses on other threats and Europe ramps up its defences.

"What is important is that it happens in a structured manner, so that Europe is able to build up when the U.S. reduces its presence," Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide said.

AFP