Eastern European leaders urge Trump to keep US troops on NATO flank

Eastern European leaders are urging President Donald Trump to keep U.S. troops on NATO’s eastern flank after a wave of Russian air and drone incursions, warning that Vladimir Putin is “pushing the limits” and will “believe only what he sees” from allied defenses.

In interviews with Fox News Digital, ministers from Estonia, Lithuania and Romania said the alliance must harden its posture — moving from air policing to integrated air and missile defenses, sharpening rules of engagement and sustaining U.S. troop rotations — to prevent Russia from normalizing violations and eroding Article 5 credibility. They paired the military message with calls for tighter sanctions and an end to European energy dependence that funds the Kremlin’s war machine.

Their appeals land as Washington weighs a new national security strategy aimed at prioritizing homeland defense. Before the most recent incursions, U.S. officials had cautioned allies to prepare for a reduction of the American footprint, pressing Europe to take on a greater share of the burden.

“We hope U.S. troops remain in the region. Their presence secures peace and sends a clear signal,” Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said. “Putin understands only the language of strength. His goal is the restoration of the Soviet empire.”

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Vladimir Putin is “pushing the limits” and will “believe only what he sees” from allied defenses, Eastern European leaders said. (Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

This month Russian drones were detected in Polish and Romanian airspace, while Russian missile-carrying MiG-29s crossed briefly into Estonian territory. For the ninth time this year, Russian jets were also spotted inside the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone.

Ahead of the U.S. expected global review of force posture, Lithuania’s foreign minister Kęstutis Budrys said deterrence must be visible, not theoretical.

He said he has been making the case to U.S. counterparts: “This presence makes the difference. It forces Russia to change its calculations.”

“Russia they have to see. They don’t believe in our plans and our protocols. They believe in what they see. So they are crossing our airspace, and they see no reaction,” he went on. “With the presence of the troops. When they see that they are stationed there, and they are training. And they’re interacting with the local armed forces. For them, this is the message that, okay, we are not getting in there.”

“U.S. rotational deployments are one of the most effective deterrents,” Budrys said. “Russia doesn’t believe in our plans; it believes what it sees.”

Romania’s warning

Romanian foreign minister Oana Țoiu echoed the Baltics, adding that security on the Black Sea is tied to U.S. interests.

“Every country sets its priorities, but the security of the eastern flank also serves U.S. security and financial interests — there’s real potential for joint investment, cyber, energy and infrastructure if security is ensured,” she said.

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Țoiu noted Romania has authorized its forces to shoot down Russian drones that threaten its territory and economy, and stressed the importance of NATO’s U.S. presence. Bucharest is also positioning itself as a regional energy supplier, expanding nuclear power with U.S. support and tapping natural gas fields in the Black Sea.

Three Russian MiG-29 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace last week. (Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Washington’s role

About 80,000 American troops are stationed across Europe, according to U.S. European Command — down from roughly 105,000 just after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Thousands rotate through Lithuania, Estonia hosts a persistent U.S. contingent and roughly 3,000 are based in Romania, according to the State Department.

Despite speculation about U.S. drawdowns, Trump and senior officials have sharpened their rhetoric. On Monday, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz pledged Washington would defend “every inch” of NATO territory. Trump suggested intruding Russian aircraft should be shot down and insisted Ukraine, with European support, can take back all of its territory.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 44th artillery brigade fire a 2s22 Bohdana self-propelled howitzer toward Russian positions. Eastern Europeans suggested NATO must defend its front lines. (Danylo Antoniuk/AP Photo)

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said those statements have resonance.

“The unity of NATO has never been clearer,” Wilson told Fox News Digital. “Sweden and Finland are now members. Trump correctly pointed out allies weren’t reaching 2 percent, now he’s moving to 5 percent. That means peace through strength.”

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Eastern Sentry

In response to Russia’s provocations, NATO launched Eastern Sentry on September 12, 2025. The multidomain activity, led by Allied Command Operations, brings together fighter jets, naval assets and counter-drone systems from multiple allies to plug gaps and rotate forces across the eastern flank — from the Baltics to the Black Sea. Unlike a static buildup, the mission is designed to adapt quickly to emerging threats and demonstrate flexible deterrence.