The United States plans to halve its deep strike capability in Europe, including aircraft carriers and warplanes, a military source close to the matter has told TVP World amid worries over how committed America is to its NATO allies.
A senior European official separately confirmed that the US intends to go ahead with the move.
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Washington expects European allies to provide details by July of how they will bridge the gap, the military source said.
The latest move is separate from recently announced American troop withdrawals from some European countries, a former NATO spokesperson suggested to TVP World.
Michał Baranowski, Poland’s deputy technology minister, said deep strike forces play a “critical deterrent function” for European countries, but added that cuts to these resources weren’t necessarily a “foregone conclusion.”
The NATO alliance is under unprecedented strain, with some European countries concerned that Washington may leave it outright.
NATO allies were informed of the latest US plans last Friday by Alexander Velez-Green, senior advisor to the Under Secretary of War for Policy, the TVP World military source said, adding that European NATO countries are expected to present their plans in time for the alliance’s Ankara summit, scheduled for July 7–8.
Though the European response remains unknown, it is unlikely to result in a like-for-like replacement of US assets, the source said.
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