There is an ongoing debate among defense officials about the future of the US military presence in Eastern Europe, with some arguing that maintaining the 4,300 troops would be useless considering their presence has not deterred Russia. However, others deem their presence necessary to show support for NATO countries, media reported, citing three defense officials.
Uniformed defense officials have recommended Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin maintain the force and rotate the troops, whereas policy officials reportedly advised against the recommendation.
US media further indicated that a third option has been proposed to the Defense Department, which calls for the partial rotation of the 4,300 troops to reinforce NATO’s Eastern Flank, the report added.
Soldiers stationed in Eastern Europe are expected to conclude their deployment in early 2024.