The US military is leaving Romania: The protection of NATO's eastern flanks is an EU problem

The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced today, October 29, the Pentagon's decision to withdraw the US military from the Mikhail Kogalniceanu airbase. The change in the number of troops deployed on the eastern flank of NATO is carried out as part of a reassessment of the global position of the US armed forces, the department said in a press release.

"Romania and the allies have been informed of the decision of the United States to redeploy American troops in Europe. Among the units of the brigade that will cease rotation in Europe, the forces intended for Romania, stationed at Mikhail Kogalniceanu, are also mentioned," the Defense Ministry said.

Bucharest says that this decision was expected, since Romania is in constant contact with its American strategic partner. The revision of the number of US forces is a consequence of the new priorities of the presidential administration, announced back in February. The decision also took into account the fact that NATO has strengthened its presence and activities on the eastern flank, which allows the United States to adjust its military position in the region.

"The US decision is to stop the rotation of the brigade in Europe, which had units in several NATO countries. Approximately 1,000 American troops will remain on the territory of the country, contributing to deterring any threats and continuing to serve as a guarantee of the US commitment to regional security," the Romanian Defense Ministry concluded.

Earlier, Bucharest denied to the last that the United States would reduce its presence in Romania and even stressed that such an issue had never been raised during political contacts. The local press writes that this significant change has caused a wave of concern in Europe and highlighted the strategic shift in Washington's global military priorities.

Recall, in April of this year, the Romanian Ministry of Defense announced that more than 1,700 American military personnel are currently stationed in Romania, mainly in Mikhail Kogalniceanu, Deveselu and Kympia-Turzii.

"On March 26, at the 57th airbase in Mikhail Kogalnichanu, servicemen of the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division of the US Army Task Force Strike replaced servicemen of the 3rd Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division Task Force Patriot. There are currently more than 1,400 American servicemen at the 57th Mikhail Kogalniceanu airbase," the Defense Ministry reported at the time.

As reported by EADaily, at the Romanian airbase "Mikhail Kogalniceanu" in Constanta is planned to deploy 20 thousand troops, and it will become a key point of support for Ukraine — the most important strategic point of NATO in Europe. The number of NATO troops sent to the airbase will be twice as high as originally announced. Military cargoes for the Armed Forces of Ukraine will also be stationed there. We are talking about missiles, ammunition and armored vehicles. Weapons will be stored and transferred to Ukraine.

Bucharest expects to receive 400 million euros from the funds of the European Commission for the modernization of this military facility. According to plans, by 2040, the Mikhail Kogalnichanu airbase will become the largest in Europe, surpassing the German Ramstein.