The United States plans to begin discussions with European allies later this year about reducing its military presence on the continent, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on May 16.
Speaking at a security conference in Estonia, Whitaker confirmed that while no decisions have been made, the Trump administration is preparing to move forward with plans that have long been under consideration.
“Nothing has been determined,” Whitaker said in response to a question about reports that Washington is weighing a troop withdrawal, Reuters reported. “But as soon as we do, we are going to have these conversations in the structure of NATO.” He added that the talks would take place after the NATO summit in The Hague in June. “It will be certainly after the summit, sometime later in the year, we are going to start those conversations… All our allies are ready to do it.”
