US Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby will brief NATO ambassadors on Thursday about the ongoing review of the deployment of American troops in Europe. According to sources, European diplomats will seek to assure the Pentagon that allies are consistently building up their own defensive capabilities and are ready to take on the primary responsibility for defending the continent. Approximately 80,000 US military personnel are currently stationed in Europe, and Washington has already announced the withdrawal of part of the personnel.
Semi-annual review and the Pentagon questionnaire
In June, the US administration announced a semi-annual review of the deployment of American troops in Europe, demanding that allies take on the primary responsibility for the continent's defense; earlier, Donald Trump had expressed dissatisfaction that, in his assessment, Europeans had not helped the US enough in the war with Iran. In the summer, Washington circulated a questionnaire among NATO members, which Reuters reviewed: it covers issues ranging from defense spending to support for US foreign policy priorities. In particular, it asks whether a country has imposed restrictions on the access, basing, and overflight of American troops and whether it is ready to lift them, as well as whether it has publicly opposed regulations limiting transatlantic defense-industrial cooperation. Estonian Defense Minister Anne Pevkur confirmed that her country is preparing a response to the questionnaire, stating: "Estonia shares the view that Europe should do more for its own defense."
"NATO 3.0" and the risk of competition among allies
Colby himself stated that the review is intended to support the Alliance's evolution toward an updated "NATO 3.0" concept. At the same time, according to officials, the process has created a risk of European countries competing for Washington's attention: some allies are already offering more favorable terms for the basing of American troops. One European diplomat described the linking of basing issues to political positions as a purely transactional approach to partnership, which underscores the tension in relations between the two sides of the Atlantic.
Contradictory data
There is a discrepancy in how the process is assessed in the public statements of the parties. The American side, including the Pentagon, presents the review as a step toward "NATO 3.0" and notes that allies have "started taking on more responsibility" for defense; some assessments emphasize that European members of the Alliance, in aggregate military power, surpass Russia. At the same time, European diplomats and sources within NATO point to the transactional nature of the demands and to the fact that Colby's decisions are not final: "Anything he says, Trump or Hegseth can overturn within 20 minutes," one NATO source noted. Thus, one side speaks of the strategic strengthening of the Alliance, while the other speaks of the instability and deal-making nature of Washington's approach.
External threats and risks within the Alliance
Against the backdrop of the troop deployment review, The Telegraph reported that, according to the publication, the Kremlin is sabotaging weapons manufacturers in Europe by recruiting members of local groups; explosions occurred at defense plants in two European countries this month alone. Meanwhile, NATO is concerned that the next president of France could create problems for the Alliance: among the risks under consideration are even the possible withdrawal of the country from the bloc or from its integrated command. Against this backdrop, the NATO Military Committee, according to available data, plans to visit Ukraine in the near future.
