BUCHAREST — Washington should scrap its plan to withdraw hundreds of troops from Romania, the country’s deputy defense minister told POLITICO, arguing the decision could fuel Russian propaganda around NATO disunity.

“I believe this decision can be overturned … and it should be overturned,” said Romanian State Secretary for Defense Sorin Moldovan.

Last week, the Pentagon said it would redeploy an infantry brigade of around 800 troops back to Kentucky from Romania, as the U.S. military reorients its focus to domestic priorities like border protection and the Indo-Pacific region.

“I understand the current administration plans — that they want to review [their] posture in Europe,” said Moldovan. 

But “it’s not a good sign in our bilateral relationship,” he said, adding: “We need to have a stronger bilateral talk with the U.S. to make the current administration understand that the threat is here on the eastern flank.”

The U.S. Department of Defense did not respond to a request for comment by POLITICO.

The withdrawal comes at a sensitive time for NATO, which is scrambling to address gaps in its aerial defense systems and is dealing with escalating suspected airspace incursions from Russia — including in Romania.

Publicly, European and NATO officials have played down the significance of the drawdown, even as U.S. lawmakers have cried foul over the move.

On Wednesday, NATO chief Mark Rutte and Romanian President Nicușor Dan said the U.S. decision would not create gaps in the country’s defenses. Other allies like the U.K. and Norway also dismissed suggestions the move showed Washington was no longer committed to NATO.

“If we speak on operational levels, nothing has changed since the withdrawal,” Moldovan agreed. “But the … political symbolism is a bit weird to have right now,” he added, arguing it risks feeding into Russian “propaganda” about a lack of unity within NATO.

And while Washington seeks to pivot toward Asia, he argued it must take into account how globalized Moscow’s all-out war in Ukraine has become. Russia has increasingly benefitted from support from China, Iran and North Korea in its war effort. 

“We are talking not only about Russia … keep in mind that North Korea sent troops in Ukraine … Iran helped Russia with its capabilities as well,” he said. “We need to see the big picture.”

“Our security is built on trusting our allies as well, and we are very much counting on U.S. support in the eastern flank,” Moldovan added. “NATO is stronger only when all allies are present there.”