The Pentagon, on Wednesday, announced that the United States (US) is deploying 3,000 service members to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) eastern flank to affirm Washington’s commitment to its NATO allies as Russia continues its military build-up along the Ukrainian and Belarusian borders. Around 2,000 troops will depart from the US to Poland and 1,000 members, who are already stationed in Germany, will be deployed to Romania.
Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a news conference that the US and its NATO allies believe that although Russian President Vladimir Putin remains unsure about invading Ukraine, he certainly possesses the ability to carry out an invasion. Kirby mentioned that Putin is “showing no signs of being willing to de-escalate” while Moscow continues to bolster its military capabilities even in the last 24 hours.
In this context, Kirby said that “the current situation demands” defensive and deterrent measures particularly on NATO’s eastern flank and added that the new deployment is only temporary and “not the sum total of the deterrence.” Kirby also stated that France is sending troops to Romania and Spain; Denmark, Britain and the Netherlands are in talks to do the same. Kirby stressed that the move was an “unmistakable signal that we stand with NATO.”
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, US President Joe Biden said that Washington’s decision to deploy troops is “totally consistent with what I told Putin in the beginning.” Biden warned Putin saying that as long as Moscow’s aggressive behaviour continues, Washington will continue to support its NATO allies. Furthermore, Kirby also clarified that the new deployment is separate from last week’s announcement, wherein the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin put 8,500 US Military service members on high alert in preparation for rapid deployment to NATO if the Alliance asks.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg hailed Washington’s move, calling it a “powerful signal of US commitment” and an important “defensive and proportional” measure. Poland’s Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak welcomed the deployment, saying the forces will significantly strengthen Warsaw’s defence and deterrence capabilities.
Błaszczak added that the deployment indicates that “the Alliance are taking the threat posed by Russia seriously.” Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca also confirmed the deployment during a Parliament session commemorating Romania’s joining the European Union.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko responded to America’s move, calling it “destructive” and “unjustified.” Grushko added that the moves facilitate military tension between Russia and the West, leaving no room to reach a political consensus. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told CNN that the deployments serve as proof for Russia to be worried, adding that the “US de facto is continuing to pump up tension in Europe.”
Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine’s foreign minister from 2014 to 2019, told Newsweek that some people in Kyiv are sceptical of America’s handling of the situation referring to allegations that the US is blowing the Russian threat out of proportion. Klimkin said, “The US intelligence has been in many cases terribly wrong,” citing US withdrawal from Afghanistan as an example. Last week, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said America’s decision to withdraw its embassy personnel from Kyiv was “an instance of excessive caution.” America’s decision was dubbed as hysterical by many.