With a collective strength of more than two million soldiers, should European allies worry about a US troop pull-out?
A drawdown of US troops and assets from the continent was long anticipated but turned into a crisis last month when President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany – after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US had been humiliated in the Iran war.
The threat induced panic as Nato officials tried to downplay the impact on force projection and yet raised a broader question: Can Europe manage its own security if the Americans leave?
A look at the numerical strength of European armies compared to their chief adversary Russia reveals the problem isn’t a dearth of foot soldiers.
According to the Military Balance report released by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the 23 EU members of Nato have 1.29 million active troops.
