Eastern NATO allies offer to cover more US troop costs

NATO’s eastern European members are considering offering to cover a larger share of the costs associated with US troops stationed in their countries, in an effort to discourage the Trump administration from reducing its military presence in the region, people familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg.

The proposal is being prepared ahead of a NATO meeting with US Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby in Brussels on August 27. Eastern European allies are seeking to maintain a strong US military presence as the Pentagon conducts a six-month review of American forces and assets in Europe amid concerns over Russia.

As part of the review, the US has asked NATO allies to complete a questionnaire by August 28. According to Bloomberg, the document includes questions about countries’ support for President Donald Trump’s foreign policy, restrictions on the use of US military bases and whether governments purchase equipment from US defence contractors.

The US military presence in Europe fluctuates between 80,000 and 100,000 personnel, depending on troop rotations and military exercises. More than one-third are stationed in Germany, while US deployments in Eastern Europe range from several hundred troops in the Baltic states to several thousand in Poland.

The eastern allies are expected to emphasise their willingness to host as many US troops as possible and contribute more toward the costs of their deployment, according to the people familiar with the matter.

Meanwhile, NATO’s largest European members are discussing a coordinated response to the US review. Some European governments reportedly view the questionnaire as an attempt to pressure allies into closer political alignment with Trump’s administration in exchange for continued US security commitments.

By Sabina Mammadli