Leaders from Eastern European NATO members are issuing a stark warning to President Donald Trump not to withdraw U.S. forces from the eastern flank, arguing that Russian aggression is intensifying and that Moscow is “testing boundaries.”
Officials from Estonia, Lithuania, and Romania say recent drone incursions, airspace overflights, and missile movements near their borders require a visible and sustained American presence. They warn that without U.S. backing, Russian forces could push harder into alliance buffer zones.
These allies are calling for enhanced military coordination, upgraded air and missile defenses, and stronger rules of engagement—urging that deterrence must be more than a pledge, it must be tangible. They argue that Putin is responding only to demonstrations of force, not diplomatic assurances.
Their appeals come as the U.S. debates adjusting its overseas force posture. The eastern allies believe that scaling back now would send a signal of weakness—one that Moscow would not miss.