U.S. Suspends Romania Brigade Rotation, Trimming Eastern Europe Footprint

Overview

• U.S. European and Africa Command said a brigade based in Romania will return to the United States as planned with no replacement, calling it a reduction not a withdrawal and affirming NATO Article 5 commitments.
• Romania’s Defense Ministry reported a cut of about 800 personnel from roughly 1,700, with around 900 to 1,000 U.S. troops remaining in country.
• Bucharest emphasized that key sites stay active, including the Deveselu missile defense system and the Câmpia Turzii and Mihail Kogălniceanu air bases.
• NATO characterized the move as an adjustment and noted overall U.S. forces in Europe remain near 100,000, a level higher than before 2022.
• Analysts warned Moscow could read the reduction as a negative political signal for the Black Sea region, while officials linked the step to a broader U.S. shift toward the Indo-Pacific and greater European defense responsibility.