Reports: U.S.-Russia Talks Consider NATO Troop Withdrawal from Bulgaria and Eastern Europe

U.S.-Russia negotiations that took place in Riyadh have raised deep concerns across Europe, with fears mounting that discussions could lead to a significant reduction in the U.S. military presence on the continent. Although President Donald Trump has ruled out a full withdrawal of American forces from Europe, reports indicate that Washington may consider pulling troops from certain NATO countries, particularly those that joined the alliance after 1990.

According to information obtained by the German outlet BILD, Western intelligence agencies and officials worry that Russian President Vladimir Putin is pushing for a return to pre-1990 security arrangements, which would see U.S. forces leave a number of NATO member states. A European security official told BILD that Putin’s demands mirror those he made in 2021, including the complete withdrawal of American forces from all NATO countries that joined after the Cold War.

The Financial Times has also reported that European officials believe Trump may agree to remove U.S. forces from the Baltic states and potentially further west. If such a decision were made, it would significantly alter the security landscape in Europe, leaving the continent more vulnerable to Russian military aggression. The fear is particularly acute among the former Soviet republics of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as Poland, all of which could face heightened security risks if U.S. forces were to withdraw. Some experts warn that such a move could pave the way for an immediate Russian military intervention in the region.

Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis commented on the issue, noting that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has previously demanded that NATO return to its 1997 borders. This would mean NATO withdrawing entirely from Eastern Europe, with U.S. forces stationed only in East Germany. Landsbergis suggested that if such demands were made in the past, there is no reason why Putin wouldn’t push for the same in the ongoing Riyadh negotiations.

Italy is reportedly preparing for the possible withdrawal of U.S. forces from Kosovo, according to BILD. If this were to happen, European allies would be left to manage the security situation in the Balkans without American support, facing increasing pressure from Serbia and its military, which has strong ties to Russia. BILD notes that this scenario would leave Europe’s position in the region significantly weakened.

The discussions in Riyadh reportedly focused on the potential withdrawal or non-deployment of U.S. forces from a wide range of NATO member states, including Finland, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia. However, American military bases in Ramstein, Germany, and British air force bases are not currently under discussion.

BILD warns that if Trump and Putin reach an agreement on troop withdrawals, Europe must brace for significant geopolitical shifts. The prospect of a reduced U.S. presence in key strategic locations has led to heightened alarm among European security officials, who fear that the continent could be left exposed to Russian influence and military threats.