WASHINGTON - The United States said it will pull out some troops from NATO's eastern flank but denied the move amounted to an American withdrawal from Europe, as analysts warned it could embolden Russia.
Officials were quick to downplay the reduction in personnel, which comes amid a review of US military deployments worldwide that has worried European allies concerned about President Donald Trump's commitment to the continent.
"This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5," the US Army in Europe and Africa, said in a statement, referring to the alliance's collective defence principle.
Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO and insisted that Europe boosts military spending and takes more responsibility for its defence as Ukraine battles Russia's invasion.
The Pentagon says there are nearly 85,000 US military personnel in Europe -- a number that has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
A NATO official told AFP the alliance had been informed by the Trump administration in advance, describing the US move as nothing "unusual".
"Even with this adjustment, the US force posture in Europe remains larger than it has been for many years, with many more US forces on the continent than before 2022," the official said.
Washington's commitment to NATO remained "clear", the official added.