U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO), and U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse (D-CO) and Don Bacon (R-NE) told U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reported plans to reduce contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Europe would undermine allied security and embolden Russia.
In a letter to the secretary, the Congressmen said the presence of American troops in Europe was a deterrent to Russian aggression.
“Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the United States has maintained an increased presence in Central and Eastern Europe to deter Russia’s potential aggression against NATO allies,” the Congressmen wrote. “Earlier this summer, however, the United States European Command announced plans to scale back the number of forces committed to NATO, including a 30 percent cut to fighter jets, a decrease in reconnaissance planes, and the withdrawal of aerial refueling tankers.”
The bipartisan group urged Hegseth to reconsider the proposed cuts to NATO resources and requested that the U.S. Department of Defense outline its plans for how the United States will uphold its commitments to its allies. Bennet, Neguse, and Bacon also stressed that the United States must reaffirm America’s leadership within NATO, not introduce uncertainty or risk the alliance’s collective strength.
“This decision will severely undermine allied surveillance and intelligence coordination, leaving NATO allies vulnerable as President Vladimir Putin weighs aggression against our NATO allies — whom the United States is legally obligated to defend, if called upon under Article 5. Deterring Russia through strong support for NATO is far less costly than potentially fighting a war with Russia in the future,” the lawmakers wrote.
The lawmakers said they understood the desire by the DoD to ensure Europe pays more for its own defense so the U.S. can focus on deterring China, but stressed that participating in the protection of its allies is a long-standing, bipartisan priority.