Armenia hosts summit to plan EU contingency

Leaders from across Europe and beyond have convened in Yerevan, Armenia's capital, for high-level talks on global conflicts and energy security on Monday and Tuesday, following the United States' announcement last week of plans to withdraw some of its troops from Germany.

Speaking at the opening of the biannual European Political Community summit, or EPC, on Monday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Europe has "heard" Washington's frustration over its standoff with Iran and is "stepping up".

The US announced on Friday that it will withdraw some 5,000 troops from Germany, seemingly prompted by Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying the US was being "humiliated" by Iran, reported Deutsche Welle.

On Saturday, US President Donald Trump told reporters: "We're going to cut way down. And we're cutting a lot further than 5,000." Asked whether he would also pull out US troops stationed in Spain and Italy, Trump said "probably".

In response, Rutte said at the summit: "European leaders have gotten the message. They heard the message loud and clear." He added that he recognized there was "disappointment on the US side" over European nations' resistance to joining the US-Israel strikes against Iran.

The EU's top diplomat, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, called Trump's move a "surprise", but noted there had long been talk of a US troop drawdown.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius also projected a calm response, calling the US' decision "anticipated" and insisting his country is ready to shoulder more of the burden of its defense.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told reporters that she would not support a US troop withdrawal, such as the kind that has been announced for Germany, but that "it is a decision that doesn't depend on me".

Some other European leaders have called for strengthening their own defense.

French President Emmanuel Macron weighed in on the troop withdrawal, saying Europe must learn to operate without relying on the US for defense.

"Europeans are taking their destiny into their own hands, increasing their defense and security spending, and building their own common solutions," Macron said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed this, saying "we have to step up our military capabilities to be able to defend and protect ourselves".

The EPC was established in 2022 following the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and brings together leaders from EU member states and non-EU states, including the United Kingdom, Turkiye, and Western Balkan nations, to coordinate policies on security, energy, and migration. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney attended this week's summit as a guest.