VideoThe United States is sending thousands of troops to Eastern Europe amid rising tensions over Ukraine. The US Department of Defense confirmed this after media reports. President Joe Biden announced at the end of January that he would soon send troops.
foreign editors
Last updated:
02-02-22, 20:39
Two thousand soldiers are stationed in Germany and Poland. These forces will leave North Carolina this week. A thousand soldiers in Germany have already been sent to Romania.
And 2,000 troops from North Carolina add to the 8,500 US military personnel already on standby for deployment to Eastern Europe. This is in the event that troops are needed quickly, for example during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The West is afraid that Russia will invade Ukraine, because it is said that about 100,000 Russian soldiers are stationed on the border. Russia denies the existence of such plans, but demands security guarantees. The country wants NATO forces to leave Eastern Europe and Ukraine to never join NATO. The United States and NATO have already announced that they will not agree to these demands.
Sending in thousands of troops should provide some reassurance to NATO allies, who are keeping a close eye on the build-up of Russian forces. The Americans want to avoid deploying their forces in Ukraine, but they provide the country with weapons and training.
strong signal
Biden also wants to use this measure to make it clear to the Kremlin that the United States is ready to take further military steps if Russia continues to build up forces and the crisis is not averted. “It is important that we send a strong message to Mr. Putin and to the world that NATO is important to the United States and all of our allies,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.
Kirby does not rule out the possibility that the Americans will send more soldiers. Ultimately, he hopes, Putin will choose a diplomatic solution. “We still don’t believe he made the decision to invade Ukraine.”
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko described the deployment of additional US forces as “devastating”. “This will lead to an increase in military tensions and reduce the scope for political solutions,” Grushko told the Russian news agency, Interfax.
Prime Minister Mark Rutte met with Ukrainian President Zelensky in Kyiv. It was mainly about the escalating tensions with Russia:
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