US recalls 4,500 soldiers from Eastern Europe. US Army: “Not a withdrawal”

Brussels – On the eastern flank of Europe, there will be fewer US soldiers. The return to America will take place in the next few days and will involve Hungary, Slovakia, and Romania. The announcement came today, 29 October, from the command of the United States Army in Europe (US Army Europe). “The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division will be redeployed, as planned, to its home base unit in Kentucky, without replacements, the Army said in a press release. 

The US commitment in Europe remains substantial: there are approximately 85,000 US soldiers, 20,000 of whom have arrived on the Continent since the Russian aggression against Ukraine. In essence, the total number remains higher than in 2022. The decision, however, could be an ambiguous message to Moscow.

The US will reportedly scale down its troop presence in some of the countries on NATO’s eastern flank, Romania’s defense ministry said, as the administration of President Trump reviews its military footprint in Europe.

The decision doesn’t amount to “a full withdrawal” of US… pic.twitter.com/fRmyPQmdhK

— Alexander Kokcharov (@alex_kokcharov) October 29, 2025

This is not a withdrawal 

The choice is hardly a bolt from the blue. The Pentagon has long since chosen its “main theatre“, identifying the Pacific and the containment of China as a strategic objective. This is precisely why, in a  report consulted by broadcaster NBC in April, there was talk of withdrawing some 10,000 troops from Europe. Its first effects were seen with today’s announcement. 

The demobilisation of the “2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team” is not a random choice. The brigade consists of about 4,500 men and was deployed by former US President Joe Biden in response to the Russian attack. The unit is one of the most famous in the US military and, among other missions, was engaged in the Normandy landings.

The US senior ranks downplayed the decision: “This is not a withdrawal from Europe nor a signal of less commitment to NATO and Article 5,” reads the note, which adds: “This adjustment of the armed forces’ position will not change the security environment in Europe.”

The reductions will mainly be in Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Bucharest, for example, used to have 1,700 American soldiers, but will now have “900 or 1,000,” confirms defence minister Ionut Mosteanu. Despite the news, the minister is not worried: “Strategic capabilities will remain unchanged.”

“A wrong signal” 

But analysts think differently. George Scutaru, co-founder of the New Strategy Center think tank, interviewed by AFP, does not hide his scepticism. “It is the wrong signal to send to Moscow,” says Scutaru, “a thousand units more or less does not make a difference, but it is a clear political gesture.”

Romania remains a central point in the defence of the Eastern Front. On its soil are two imposing NATO bases: the one at Câmpia Turzii and the one at Mihail Kogălniceanu, which is planned to become the largest on the Continent.

The Romanian defence force is also a key player in the defence of the Eastern Front.

Romania swaps its MiG-21s for F-16Cs – boosting NATO Air Policing from Câmpia Turzii ✈️

This adds to the 53rd Fighter Squadron at Fetești and the German Air Force Eurofighter detachment from Mihail Kogălniceanu

https://t.co/7PHKganyKp pic.twitter.com/OUQ8a53tTz

— NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) October 28, 2025

The Union and the Eastern flank 

The decision comes at a critical time for European defence. The incursions of unmanned aerial vehicles into NATO airspace have raised alarm among militaries. This is why Scutaru said it was important for European allies to send “a signal of solidarity” and consider strengthening their “military presence to compensate.”

The European Union, for its part, is developing, together with the Atlantic Alliance, a project to strengthen its defence. On 16 October, it presented a  Roadmap with the aim of organising EU rearmament. The initiative presented by the EU Commission, says the spokesman, Thomas Regnier, “will not be affected by this disengagement. We will launch the project in the first quarter of 2026.”