Withdrawal from Germany and signals for Italy and Spain – How are American troops positioned in Europe?
News
Express newspaper
02/05/2026 22:37
With the plan to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany and warnings of similar measures against Italy and Spain, attention has returned to the American military presence in Europe and its strategic deployment.
The United States has about 68 active-duty military personnel permanently stationed at European bases as of December. This figure does not include rotational troops, which are periodically sent for missions and training.
US forces are spread across about 50 bases in more than a dozen countries, 31 of which are considered permanent bases.
Germany and Italy remain the two countries with the largest US military presence on the continent, followed by the United Kingdom.
Distribution of American troops in Europe:
Germany – 36,436 troops, home to the largest US air base in Europe, Ramstein.
Italy – 12,662 troops deployed in Vicenza, Aviano, Naples and Sicily, including army, navy and air force units.
United Kingdom – 10,156 troops, mostly air force personnel at three main bases.
Spain – 3,814 troops, concentrated in naval and air bases near the Strait of Gibraltar.
Poland – 369 permanent troops, as well as around 10 thousand rotating personnel funded by the European Prevention Initiative, distributed across four bases.
Romanesque – 153 permanent troops, along with rotational forces at the Mihail Kogălniceanu, Camp Turzii and Deveselu bases.
Hungary – 77 permanent troops, as well as rotational forces at the Kecskemét and Papa bases
This extensive military presence reflects the strategic importance that Europe continues to have for the United States, especially in the context of tensions with Russia and recent developments in global security.
