German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has called for clear agreements over US plans to reduce its military commitments in Europe, warning that a disorderly withdrawal could create dangerous capability gaps.
"An orderly transition is needed. Because no one - including the Americans - can have, may have, an interest in dangerous capability gaps arising from a disorderly withdrawal that cannot be compensated for quickly," the German politician said on Monday during a visit to Lithuania, after meeting his Lithuanian counterpart Robertas Kaunas in the town of Pabradė.
He reiterated his earlier call for a clear roadmap.
The US intends to reduce the military capabilities it holds ready for deterrence and defence under NATO command.
The issue concerns commitments under the NATO Force Model, through which the alliance determines which member states must keep how many forces and capabilities ready and how quickly they must be available.
Stronger Europe in NATO needed
Pistorius made clear that the decision did not come as a surprise and was acceptable. Germany would therefore have to - and would - take on greater responsibility for its own conventional deterrence and defence within the concert of European NATO states, he said.
At the same time, he stressed that the US plans did not mean that anything would be concretely withdrawn and unavailable for the collective defence of alliance territory in an emergency.
