Enlarge image
Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer with her US colleague Lloyd Austin in Berlin
Photo: KAY NIETFELD / REUTERS
The USA will be stationing a further 500 soldiers in Germany from next autumn.
This was announced by the new US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin on Tuesday at a joint press conference with Federal Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) in Berlin.
Austin praised the efforts of NATO partner Germany to increase defense spending.
Kramp-Karrenbauer praised the step of increasing troops as a "strong sign of solidarity" and Austin as a "friend of this country".
The 67-year-old was once stationed in Germany as a soldier and emphasized his "personal appreciation" for Germany.
Around 34,500 US soldiers are currently stationed in the Federal Republic.
Under the former US President Donald Trump, the Pentagon announced a withdrawal of a third of the local soldiers in July.
Trump spoke at the time of a kind of punitive action: Germany was not spending enough on its defense, was "in default" with NATO and was being protected by the USA.
The plans caused great concern in Germany and also met with criticism in the USA.
US President Joe Biden put his predecessor's plans on hold and is now turning around with the increase announced by Austin.
ire / afp
