Kaja Kallas: U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Germany Surprises European Leaders

EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said the U.S. decision to withdraw thousands of troops from Germany had caught European leaders off guard.

Speaking on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan, Armenia, Kallas said: “There has been talk about withdrawing U.S. troops from Europe for a long time. But of course, the timing of this announcement comes as a surprise.”

Her remarks came after reports that the Pentagon is planning to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months. Speaking to reporters in Florida on Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump doubled down on the plan, saying troop presence in Germany will be cut "a lot further than 5,000."

Kallas framed the move as a wake-up call for European defense, stressing that reliance on American forces can no longer be taken for granted.

"I think it shows that we have to really strengthen the European pillar in NATO and we really have to do more," she said. "American troops are not in Europe only for protecting European interests, but also American interests."

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has also publicly downplayed the immediate operational impact of the U.S. decision.

The move by the U.S. administration comes amid tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, particularly after Merz said last week that Washington was being "humiliated" by Iran.

Asked directly whether Trump might be trying to punish Merz, Kallas declined to speculate.

"Well, I don't see through the head of President Trump," she said. "So he has to explain it himself."