It “happens all the time,” says alliance Secretary-General Mark Rutte of announced withdrawal of US troops during a visit to Romania.
NATO chief Mark Rutte on Wednesday downplayed a U.S. announcement that it was withdrawing 800 troops from Romania as the military defensive alliance grapples with an increasing number of suspected Russian hybrid and drone attacks on its territory.
Washington announced last week it would redeploy an infantry brigade of some 700 troops back to the US from Romania, as the Pentagon refocuses on domestic and other international priorities like border protection and the Indo-Pacific region.
“This happens all the time … please don’t read too much into that,” Rutte said at a news conference in Bucharest. “Wherever and whenever needed we can always scale up collectively, including in Romania.”
Romania’s President Nicusor Dan added that “the American presence is more powerful than in 2020,” in Europe and Romania at a news conference at the Cotroceni Palace. “There is no concern, no worry.”
The leaders’ comments come as the alliance faces escalating airspace violations and hybrid attacks. Russian drones have been intercepted and shot down over Poland and another Russian drone was tracked over Romania. Drones of unknown origin have disrupted air traffic at airports in Denmark, Germany and Norway.
In response, NATO has agreed to deploy more warplanes and air defense systems to frontline countries on the eastern flank in a program called “Eastern Sentry.”
Rutte suggested the new deployments in Eastern Sentry could fill any gap left by U.S. withdrawals. “With this Eastern Sentry, we can bring more capabilities to bear wherever and whenever needed … also in Romania,” he said.
“This military activity not only adds additional assets from allies, it also better connects the range of assets already available all along our eastern flank,” the NATO Secretary-General added.
NATO is currently carrying out military exercises in Romania and Allies are beefing up participating troops “from 1,500 to over 5,000 troops so that we are able, whenever necessary, to immediately get all the troops in Romania needed,” Rutte said.
NATO allies Norway and Britain also downplayed Washington’s announcement on Wednesday, as senior Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Senate and House slammed the mojkve.
Rutte insisted the alliance was ready to defend Bucharest — whether the troops are rotated out or stay put.
“We can bring more capabilities where needed, but … if this country would be under attack, it is 31 other nations coming to the rescue of Romania,” he said.
“This makes us unbeatable — absolutely unbeatable — and that is why I believe that nobody will ever try.”
