U.S. to step back from European military drills post-2025

The United States has informed NATO allies about plans to withdraw from planning future military exercises in Europe. This information was provided by the British "The Telegraph" and the Swedish "Expressen". This decision affects exercises that were set to take place after 2025.

According to "Expressen," the US intends to focus on maneuvers with countries meeting specific defense spending criteria. This is another signal of reduced American involvement in Europe. Previously, there was consideration of withdrawing troops from Germany, where about 35,000 soldiers are stationed.

Currently, the Viking-2025 exercises are underway in Norway. These exercises involve over 10,000 soldiers from various countries, including the US, and aim to secure the northern direction.

Donald Trump has long been calling for increased defense spending by NATO countries. Only 23 out of 32 countries have reached the 2% of GDP threshold, and only five countries allocate more than 3% of GDP to this purpose.

The Pentagon, under Pete Hegseth's leadership, plans budget cuts that may affect the U.S. military presence worldwide. The Financial Times suggests that Trump may lower his demands for defense spending to 3–3.5% of GDP.