US soldiers amid a visit by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. (December 27, 2018)
Germany says withdrawal of US troops was “expected”
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Germany's defence minister on Saturday said the withdrawal of American troops from Germany had been expected and that Europe needed to do more to ensure its own security.
"That US troops are withdrawing from Europe and also from Germany was to be expected," Boris Pistorius said in a statement sent to AFP by his ministry. "We Europeans must take greater responsibility for our security," he added.
The Pentagon on Friday announced the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany within the next year, the latest rift in transatlantic ties over the Mideast war.
The move came as US President Donald Trump announced that tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union would increase to 25 percent next week, accusing the bloc of not complying with a trade deal signed last summer.
Trump has renewed criticism of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said Monday that Iran was "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table. Trump said Merz "thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn't know what he's talking about!"
On Wednesday, the American leader said Washington was "studying and reviewing the possible reduction" of US troops in Germany, and that he would decide in a "short period of time".
