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US withdraws some troops from Romania/ NATO: We were informed in advance

2025-10-29 14:30:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The United States has withdrawn nearly 1,000 soldiers and left approximately the same number stationed in Romania, officials in Bucharest announced, stressing that they were informed of this decision at the beginning of the week.

The US military said that this decision should not be understood as a "withdrawal" of Washington from Europe nor "as a signal of reduced commitment to NATO and Article 5."

"On the contrary, this is a positive signal of increased European capabilities and responsibilities," the military said on October 29, adding that the repositioning of forces will not change the security environment in Europe.

Washington said it continues to have a strong presence throughout Europe.

Meanwhile, Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu, during a press conference, said that "around 900-1,000 American soldiers will remain in his country, a little more than they were at the beginning of the war in Ukraine."

Previously, on the morning of October 29, the Romanian Ministry of Defense made public the announcement of the "partial withdrawal" of American troops from Romania.

"The US forces at the Deveselu and Campia Turzii bases remain unchanged. Close to 1,000 remain at Deveselu, Campia Turzii and Mihail Kogalniceanu. It is not a catastrophe, it is a decision of our allies. They remain at these three points," he said.

The Minister of Defense emphasized that other NATO countries, especially France, currently have around 2,500 soldiers on Romanian territory and that, after the "Dacian Fall" exercise that is currently taking place, a total of "close to 3,500" troops will remain in this country.

"They are enough for what we need," Mosteanu added, stressing that "it is unreasonable to expect large allied armies to be present on Romanian territory."

"We are in contact with all allies and we will see in the future whether more soldiers will come," he answered journalists' questions on the matter.

Romania's defense chief said the decision to withdraw nearly 1,000 American soldiers "is part of a broader US strategy" focused on the Indo-Pacific, adding that Romania was officially notified of Washington's decision on October 27.

"This is not about an American withdrawal, but about stopping the rotation of a brigade that consisted of elements in several NATO countries, in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. About 1,000 American soldiers will continue to remain in Romania, contributing to the deterrence of any threat," he said.

Mosteanu added that the decision was also made due to the strengthening of the military presence of NATO allies on the eastern flank.

“Strategic capabilities [in Romania] remain unchanged. The missile defense system in Deveselu maintains its full functionality. The air base in Campia Turzii continues to be a key point for air operations and allied cooperation. The Mihail Kogalniceanu base continues to be developed. The American flag will continue to be at all three points,” Mosteanu reiterated.

"An air combat group will still remain in Kogalniceanu, as it actually was before the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine."

Mosteanu added that “the main force for protecting the security of Romania and of every citizen is the Romanian Army” and that its modernization should be the main priority of the Romanian state. “I insist on this because the future must be in the hands of each of us.”

Asked whether the US decision affects Romania's security and whether there could be more incidents or Russian provocations on the country's borders, Mosteanu said no.

The Romanian minister also said that NATO's Article 5 will not be affected by this decision by Washington, Bucharest's strategic partner.

He also added that the launch of the Russian invasion of Ukraine was "a wake-up call for all of Europe, which until then had relied heavily on its American partner."

"But since then, in three and a half years, Europe has realized that it must pay more attention to the defense of each state and the equipment of each army. Investments have been made, programs have been implemented, the response of other allied states has been strengthened, especially on the eastern flank."

Ionut Mosteanu also said he does not see any regression regarding this military withdrawal, even though Russia's war in Ukraine - a country with which Romania shares a land border of almost 650 kilometers - continues, despite the Trump administration's efforts to achieve peace.

Asked whether the national defense strategy will be modified or whether compulsory military service will be restored, Mosteanu gave negative answers to both issues.

"We have the project for voluntary military service and we will renew the reserves. The issue of compulsory service is not being discussed. Romania has a good army, a good army depends on the capacities it has. We must invest further, increase the equipment and training of our soldiers," he stressed.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, wrote in X that NATO allies, such as Romania, have shown that they have increased their capabilities and responsibilities.

According to him, in 20 years or more, Bucharest has consistently partnered with the US to meet common defense objectives.

"This partnership continues to be stronger than ever. The United States remains committed to Romania – a trusted NATO ally, strategic partner, and a driving force for security in Europe ," he wrote.

NATO: We were informed in advance about the US decision

Një zyrtar i NATO-s tha për Radion Evropa e Lirë se aleanca ishte njoftuar paraprakisht nga SHBA-ja lidhur me përshtatjen e pozicionit të forcave amerikane, duke shtuar se aleanca dhe Uashingtoni janë në kontakt të ngushtë për këtë çështje.

“Edhe me këtë ndryshim, prania e forcave amerikane në Evropë është më e madhja për shumë vite dhe ka më shumë trupa amerikane në kontinent që para vitit 2022”, tha zyrtari i NATO-s.

“NATO dhe autoritetet amerikane janë në kontakt të ngushtë lidhur me praninë e përgjithshme të ushtarëve, për t’u siguruar që NATO të ketë kapacitetet e nevojshme për parandalim dhe mbrojtje dhe autoritetet amerikane e kanë informuar paraprakisht NATO-n për këto ndryshime”, shtoi ai.

NATO tha se përkushtimi i SHBA-së ndaj aleancës ushtarake perëndimore është i qartë dhe se administrata e presidentit Donald Trump e ka përsëritur disa herë këtë përkushtim.

Ministria e Mbrojtjes: Vendimi i SHBA-së, pas konsolidimit të NATO-s në krahun lindor

Ministria e Mbrojtjes e Rumanisë është “informuar për rishikimin e një pjese të trupave amerikane të dislokuara në krahun lindor të NATO-s, si pjesë e procesit të rivlerësimit të pozicionit global të forcave ushtarake të SHBA-së”, u tha në njoftimin e publikuar mëngjesin e 29 tetorit.

“Mes elementeve të brigadës që do të ndalojnë rotacionet në Evropë përmenden edhe forcat e destinuara për Rumaninë, të vendosura në bazën Mihail Kogalniceanu”, tha Ministria rumune e Mbrojtjes.

Kjo ministri theksoi se “vendimi ishte i pritshëm, pasi Rumania ka qenë në kontakt të vazhdueshëm me partnerin strategjik amerikan”.

“Rishikimi i forcave amerikane është pjesë e prioriteteve të reja të administratës amerikane, të shpallura që nga muaji shkurt. Vendimi ka marrë parasysh gjithashtu faktin që NATO-ja ka forcuar praninë dhe aktivitetin në krahun lindor, çka i lejon Shteteve të Bashkuara të përshtatin pozicionin e tyre ushtarak në rajon”, u tha në njoftim.

Gjithashtu, ministria rumune theksoi se “vendimi amerikan ka të bëjë me ndërprerjen e rotacionit në Evropë të një brigade që kishte elemente në disa shtete të NATO-s”.

“Afër 1 mijë ushtarë amerikanë do të qëndrojnë të dislokuar në territorin e Rumanisë, duke kontribuar në parandalimin e çdo kërcënimi dhe duke vazhduar të përfaqësojnë një garanci të angazhimit të SHBA-së për sigurinë rajonale”, tha dikasteri i mbrojtjes.

Njoftimi i Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes të Rumanisë vjen pas disa muajsh kur ishte përfolur për një tërheqje të trupave amerikane nga krahu lindor i aleancës ushtarake perëndimore.

As autoritetet në Bukuresht, as ato amerikane nuk kanë dhënë deri tani një shifër të saktë të ushtarëve amerikanë në Rumani. Në fillim të vitit 2025, ishin të dislokuar më shumë se 1.700 ushtarë amerikanë, kryesisht në Mihail Kogalniceanu, Deveselu dhe Campia Turzii. Afër 1.400 prej tyre ndodhen në Bazën Ajrore 57 Mihail Kogalniceanu.

Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu told Radio Free Europe in early October that "there are close to 2,000 American soldiers in Mihail Kogalniceanu."

"We are waiting for the US National Defense Strategy, which will be presented soon. We will see if they will maintain their presence and position on the eastern flank, in Europe... Romania is important for the US ," declared Minister Mosteanu.

The announcement made Wednesday morning by the Ministry of Defense comes after a new US military mission in Romania to strengthen NATO's eastern flank was launched on October 27. However, according to new information provided by the Ministry of Defense, the US presence in Romania has been reduced.

The 3rd Infantry Division has taken command of the Army's operations in the Black Sea region, with a task force of soldiers sent to Romania for a nine-month mission, according to a statement from the US Army.

This unit replaced the 1st Armored Division during a ceremony held on October 27 at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, in the Constanta region, a base that "serves as the main hub for American forces in Romania."

The mission includes around 3,000 soldiers participating in missions in Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria.

During the deployment, the 1st Armored Division Task Force "advanced US-NATO command and control integration with detailed planning of crisis response operations, defense lines on the eastern flank, and expansion of forward ground forces," the US Army said in a statement.

The number of US soldiers in Poland may increase

The Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Post reported on Tuesday evening that allies were informed of the withdrawal decision this week and that, in internal discussions, personnel reductions in Poland were also considered, but the final decision related only to Romania.

Also, during the September meeting between US President Donald Trump and Polish President Karol Nawrocki, the possibility of increasing the American presence in Poland was also discussed.

"I discussed with the president and the secretaries the expansion of the presence of American troops in Poland, which I am pleased about. Specific discussions were held on this project ," Karol Nawrocki said after meeting with Trump at the White House on September 5.

According to the Polish Presidency, the American leader confirmed security guarantees for allies.