US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has tried to reassure allies over US decisions on troop deployments in Europe.

Rubio's intervention at the end of a Nato foreign ministers' meeting in Sweden came after President Donald Trump said the US would send an extra 5,000 troops to Poland.

That decision was a week after a planned deployment of 4,000 troops to the country was cancelled and days after an announcement that US troops would be pulled out of Germany.

The announcements have caused confusion among the allies of the trans-Atlantic defence organisation.

However, at a news conference after the Nato meeting on Friday, Rubio said the US was constantly reevaluating its troop presence in view of its global commitments, but that the goal was "a stronger Nato".

Some US troops are currently involved in the Middle East, following the US and Israeli conflict with Iran.

The US is by far Nato's biggest and most capable ally.

It has maintained troops in European countries for decades - as a deterrent force originally meant to face off to the Soviet Union.

The largest US contingent is in Germany, where there are more than 36,000 troops on active duty. There are some 12,000 troops in Italy and 10,000 in the UK - and an estimated 10,000 in Poland, too.

Trump made the announcement about the new Polish deployment as Nato ministers were in Sweden for talks.

Writing on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump said the decision was based on the US's relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom he backed during presidential elections last year and who is a long-time supporter of his.

The US leader did not elaborate on whether the additional troops were part of the previous planned deployment or a different operation.

The US defence department abruptly said last week it was cancelling the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland, but US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later said it was "a temporary delay" and Washington would continue to ensure it "retains a strong military presence" in the country.

The White House has signalled in recent weeks that it intends to reduce its overall troop levels in Europe as part of its "America First" agenda.

Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters that the trajectory towards Europe becoming less reliant on the US "will continue".

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has also welcomed the US decision to deploy additional troops to Poland, telling reporters: "It serves not only for Poland's security, but for the security of the whole alliance and so also for us. So, this is absolutely in our interest".

Earlier this month, the US announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany after a row between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran.

It is unclear whether the additional troops for Poland were part of those withdrawing from Germany or a separate group.

Wadephuladded on Friday that Germany was in "ongoing discussions" with the US about deploying long range missile systems in Germany.

"We are inviting the United States of America to stay to their previous plans," he added.

Several Republican lawmakers in the US have criticised Trump's decision to withdraw troops from Germany, saying it risked sending the wrong message to Russia.