NATO countries conduct training amphibious operation in Greece without participation of American troops
NATO member countries conducted a training amphibious operation in eastern Greece on Thursday as part of the Steadfast Dart exercise, in which units of the American armed forces did not participate, the Associated Press reported.
The agency notes that “NATO is testing its ability to rapidly deploy across eastern Europe — without direct U.S. assistance — as Washington shifts its approach toward European defense and the war in Ukraine.”
Up to 10,000 troops from nine NATO countries are involved in major NATO exercises taking place in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. The United States does not participate in the maneuvers.
According to the Associated Press, the absence of the United States from the exercises occurred at a time when European countries are trying to increase military self-sufficiency due to their concerns about the Trump administration's demands for increased European military spending.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at his first meeting with NATO colleagues in Brussels on Wednesday that European nations should dramatically increase their defense spending and shoulder the “overwhelming share” of funding for Ukraine.