President Biden Halts US Troop Withdrawal From Germany

US President Joe Biden has announced the country will be ending its planned withdrawal of troops from Germany.

Last June, while president, Donald Trump stated he would be withdrawing more than 9,000 US troops from the European country.

Confirming a halt to his predecessor's plan, President Biden said he would also be lifting the cap on the number of personnel able to be stationed in Germany, imposed by the previous administration.

The decision comes as part of a larger global posture review of the US military as Mr Biden seeks to ease any doubts allies and partners may have about American policies moving forward.

The virtual conference was the clearest sign yet that the US is abandoning the America First programme to work with other nations around the world.

He called America's commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which established NATO, an "unshakeable vow" that an attack on one ally is an attack on all.

He said that moving forward global problems would be dealt with together with other nations and that the US would consult closely with its partners when facing them.

Speaking at the conference he said: "I speak today as president of the United States at the very start of my administration, and I'm sending a clear message to the world: America is back; the trans-Atlantic alliance is back. And we are not looking backward.

"We are looking forward together.

"We're at an inflection point," he said.

"The global dynamics have shifted. New crises demand our attention.

"We cannot focus only on the competition among countries that threatened to divide the world or only on global challenges [that] have threatened to sink us all together if we fail to cooperate.

"We must do both, working in lockstep with our allies and partners.

"The United States will work closely with our European Union partners and the capitals across the continent — from Rome to Riga — to meet the range of shared challenges we face.

"We continue to support the goal of a Europe whole and free and at peace.

"The United States is fully committed to our NATO alliance.

"I welcome Europe's growing investment in the military capabilities that enable our shared defense," he added.

Cover image: PA.