US Troop Reduction in Germany Surprises EU Foreign Minister
The US announced a reduction of 5,000 troops in Germany, which EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called "surprising." Kallas emphasized that US troops in Europe protect both European and US interests.
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- 📰 Published: May 4, 2026 at 21:16
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Wu Po-pai, Brussels, 4th) The United States recently announced a reduction of 5,000 troops stationed in Germany. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called this move "surprising," while emphasizing that the presence of US troops in Europe protects both European and American interests.
The European Political Community (EPC) summit was held today in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Kaja Kallas attended and was interviewed before the meeting.
According to news released by the European External Action Service (EEAS), regarding the US decision to reduce 5,000 troops from Germany, Kallas stated that discussions about reducing US troops in Europe have been ongoing for a long time, but the timing of this announcement was indeed surprising.
Kallas emphasized that this shows Europe must strengthen the "European pillar" within NATO and must put in more effort. She also reiterated that the presence of US troops in Europe is not only to protect Europe's interests but also aligns with the US's own interests.
This decision to reduce troops was made after a public dispute between US President Trump and German Chancellor Merz over the Iran war. Therefore, some commentators believe that this dispute was the trigger for the troop reduction.
Regarding such claims, Kallas stated that she could not speculate on Trump's thoughts and that Trump himself must explain.
US forces are distributed in more than a dozen European countries, with the largest numbers in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. According to data from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), which is responsible for compiling military data for the Pentagon, as of December last year, the total number of active-duty military personnel stationed in Germany was 36,436, distributed across 5 garrison areas. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150504
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(Central News Agency reporter Wu Po-pai, Brussels, 4th) The United States recently announced a reduction of 5,000 troops stationed in Germany. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas called this move "surprising," while emphasizing that the presence of US troops in Europe protects both European and American interests.
The European Political Community (EPC) summit was held today in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. Kaja Kallas attended and was interviewed before the meeting.
According to news released by the European External Action Service (EEAS), regarding the US decision to reduce 5,000 troops from Germany, Kallas stated that discussions about reducing US troops in Europe have been ongoing for a long time, but the timing of this announcement was indeed surprising.
Kallas emphasized that this shows Europe must strengthen the "European pillar" within NATO and must put in more effort. She also reiterated that the presence of US troops in Europe is not only to protect Europe's interests but also aligns with the US's own interests.
This decision to reduce troops was made after a public dispute between US President Trump and German Chancellor Merz over the Iran war. Therefore, some commentators believe that this dispute was the trigger for the troop reduction.
Regarding such claims, Kallas stated that she could not speculate on Trump's thoughts and that Trump himself must explain.
US forces are distributed in more than a dozen European countries, with the largest numbers in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. According to data from the Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), which is responsible for compiling military data for the Pentagon, as of December last year, the total number of active-duty military personnel stationed in Germany was 36,436, distributed across 5 garrison areas. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150504
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.