In a wide-ranging, fast-paced exchange with reporters on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended upcoming adjustments to American troop levels in Europe, floating a potential “plan B” if diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz fail, and acknowledging that recent U.S.-led peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have stalled.
Speaking to the press after meetings in Helsingborg, Rubio framed the anticipated reduction of U.S. troops on the continent as part of a long-planned rebalancing of America’s global military resources rather than a sudden political move.
“The United States has global commitments for our military,” Rubio said. “So we are constantly reevaluating where we’re positioning forces. And since the first day of this administration, the Department of War has been working on that, and that’s known to our Allies.”
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Rubio noted that any upcoming announcements regarding force adjustments are being handled directly by NATO and military officials. He emphasized that the troop drawdowns should not catch international partners off guard, pointing to recent adjustments in Germany that returned force levels to 2022 benchmarks.
“At the end of the day, I think it’s well understood in the Alliance that the United States’ troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted,” Rubio said. “That work was already ongoing, and it’s been done in coordination with our Allies. I’m not saying they’re going to be thrilled about it, but they certainly are aware of it.”
The briefing took a sharp turn toward escalating tensions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime trade route. While Rubio expressed hope for a negotiated settlement that would see Iran reopen the waterway and abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, he insisted that international allies must prepare for a scenario where diplomacy fails.
“We also have to have a plan B,” Rubio told reporters. “And plan B is what if Iran refuses to open the straits? What if Iran decides we refuse to open the straits, we’re going to own the straits, and we’re going to charge tolls for it? Okay, at that point something has to be done about it.”
Rubio suggested that even if a full NATO mission is not launched, specific member nations with advanced minesweeping capabilities could play a vital role under existing UK-French frameworks. While he stated that no concrete requests were made to European partners or Canada during Friday’s meetings, he indicated that several countries expressed interest in a joint response.
“The United States could do it,” Rubio said regarding a unilateral reopening of the straits. “But there are countries that have expressed an interest in potentially being a part of something like that if, in fact, we get to that point. We don’t need their help, but they’re willing to do it, and I think we should take them up on it if they are.”
On the war in Ukraine, Rubio confirmed that direct American efforts to broker peace negotiations have hit a standstill.
“We got involved — okay — because we were told we were the only ones that could do it,” Rubio said. “They were not fruitful, unfortunately. That’s the — we stand ready to continue to play that role.”
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Dismissing reports that Washington was pressuring Ukraine to alter its baseline positions, Rubio noted that no productive talks are currently taking place, though he reiterated that the conflict must ultimately end at a negotiating table.
“It will not end with a military victory by one side or the other, at least from a traditional standpoint of how military victories are defined,” Rubio added. “If someone else would like to handle it, they should. But there doesn’t appear to be anybody else in the world right now that can handle it.”
Despite the friction over troop rebalancing and regional conflicts, Rubio praised Sweden’s integration into NATO, calling the host nation a “model Ally” and highlighting its mature defense industrial base. During the visit, U.S. and Swedish officials signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, biomedicine, biotechnology, and innovation.
Rubio also confirmed that the seven Arctic nations held a productive security meeting during the session, with a joint statement expected to solidify a regular, prominent role for Arctic security within NATO operations.
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