The US has cancelled the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland, a US official confirmed today, as Washington reorganises its forces in Europe after announcing the withdrawal of thousands of troops from Germany.

Questioned about this cancellation during a parliamentary hearing, General Christopher Lanive, the acting chief of the Army’s land army general staff, claimed that the head of European Command “has received instructions on the reduction in personnel.”

“I worked closely with him (…) and it seemed reasonable to us that this brigade would ultimately not be deployed,” Laniv clarified, referring to the 2nd Armoured Combat Brigade.

The Pentagon had announced earlier this month that Washington would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. That operation was to be completed in the “next six to 12 months”, according to US Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell.

Donald Trump had subsequently said the reduction in force would exceed “5,000 men”, but did not go into details.

These announcements come against a backdrop of a sharp dispute between the US president and German Chancellor Friedrich Murch on the issue of the US-Israel war against Iran.

Trump has blamed his European allies for a lack of support in this campaign launched in late February, particularly on the Strait of Hormuz issue. He also says he wants to see Europe take charge of its own defence, rather than depending on US military protection.

Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosinjak-Kamiz hinted today that the cancellation of planned deployments in his country could be related to the withdrawal of troops from Germany.

“If another brigade from the planned one goes to Poland, possibly that of Germany and 5,000 soldiers leave Germany for Poland (…) there is no change in security guarantees,” the Polish defence minister told reporters.

“We know that the US is working to adjust its stance in Europe,” a NATO official said for his part today, in remarks to the French News Agency.

In Washington, Republican Congressman Don Bacon called the cancellation “a source of shame for our country,” assuring that Poland “was not informed.”

Democratic Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland expressed regret over the decision “which allows one to think that we are not a reliable ally.”

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