(CNN) -- Australian troops could begin pulling out of Afghanistan in the coming months, and the majority of them may leave the country by the end of next year, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Tuesday. It's the latest announcement of international troop drawdowns in Afghanistan, a trend that signals the coalition's confidence in the country's fighting forces, the transition to Afghan security control, and the war's growing unpopularity in the countries that contribute troops. Gillard made her remarks Tuesday ahead of a NATO summit meeting in Chicago in May. At the meeting, the leaders of countries with troops in Afghanistan will make key decisions about the future of the international coalition's mission there.
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NEW: Analyst calls Australia a "phenomenal" ally
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Australia's prime minister sketches out an expedited troop withdrawal plan
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The country has been part of the coalition effort in Afghanistan for more than a decade
@placeholder's move would mean that most of the more than 1,500 Australian soldiers in Afghanistan could leave a year earlier than the government had previously suggested.