A force of support and deterrence, but no intervention. The United States announced on Wednesday the dispatch of 2,000 additional soldiers to Eastern Europe in the coming days to defend the NATO countries “against any aggression” Russian, to which must be added 1,000 soldiers redeployed from Germany to Romania. But “these forces will not fight in Ukraine”, which does not belong to NATO, said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, stressing that it was a temporary redeployment.
A significant part of these 2,000 troops will be provided by the 82nd Airborne Division, a US Army infantry parachute corps based in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which notably participated in the evacuation of Kabul in the summer. last. Kirby said he didn’t expect a “tactical” operation, meaning they shouldn’t be parachuted into Poland. On the other hand, he did not rule out that this force would take part in evacuations in Ukraine if they became necessary in the event of a conflict.
8,500 soldiers on alert
These troops are in addition to the 8,500 soldiers placed on alert at the end of January by President Biden to be deployed in NATO’s rapid reaction force if necessary. “These moves are an unambiguous message to the world that we are ready to reassure our NATO allies and determined to defend them against any aggression,” said US Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby. However, it is only a question of strengthening the “eastern flank” of the Atlantic Alliance and reassuring the countries bordering NATO, who fear an enlargement to their territory of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, quoted by the Interfax agency, castigated a measure “unjustified, destructive, increasing military tensions and reducing the scope for political decisions”.
Diplomatic Ballet
Poland and Romania welcomed the arrival of these reinforcements in the coming days. NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed these announcements, stressing that the Atlantic Alliance was also considering deploying “tactical forces” on its southeastern flank.
For their part, Joe Biden and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron pledged during a telephone interview on Wednesday to coordinate their response to Russia, according to the White House.
The Elysée announced that the French president, who has not ruled out going to Moscow to try to find a diplomatic solution, would have a new meeting with Vladimir Putin Thursday at 6:00 p.m. French.
The German Chancellor, expected next week in Washington, told him that he would go “soon” to Moscow for talks with Putin. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was received by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the day after the visits of the heads of the British and Polish governments, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a supplier of combat drones to Ukraine, is expected Thursday in Kiev.