The question of the US military presence in Europe looms over the debates during the Munich Security Conference, in which US Vice President J.D. Vance also participated. Meanwhile, from Warsaw, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth set the tone, stating that Europe cannot assume that the presence of US troops on the continent will last forever.
Yesterday, however, in Brussels, he assured that no decision on the level of US troops has yet been made by the new US administration.
US Vice President J.D. Vance today told delegates at the Munich Security Conference that Europe must strengthen its defense capabilities so that Washington can focus on threats in other regions of the world, Agence France-Presse recalls. "We think it's important, as part of a common alliance, that Europeans strengthen their defenses while America focuses on the regions of the world that are in great danger," Vance said at the Munich Security Conference.
About 100,000 American troops are stationed in Europe, with just over 65,000 of them permanently stationed there and the rest being personnel who rotate or are reinforcements, according to Pentagon data. This figure includes an increase of nearly 20,000 US troops, decided after Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. About 10,000 US troops are currently on rotation in Poland, according to the US State Department.
According to a NATO diplomat, the possible withdrawal of US forces from Europe will primarily affect these reinforcements, decided after 2022.
Exactly how many US troops are in Europe
The forces permanently stationed in Europe, excluding the National Guard and civilian personnel working for the Pentagon, reached about 65,000 as of April 30, 2024. They are deployed in several countries. The main ones are as follows:
Germany: 34,894
Italy: 12,319
Great Britain: 10,180
Spain: 3,253
Turkey: 1,683
Kosovo: 600 within the framework of the NATO KFor forces
How many American bases are there in Europe
According to the Pentagon, the total American bases in Europe are 37, including the General Staff of the Allied Forces in Europe, based in Mons in Belgium. The main bases are located in the following countries:
Germany: 13
Italy: 7
Belgium: 3
Turkey: 2
Netherlands: 2
Spain: 2