Amid tensions with Russia, US President Joe Biden to send military reinforcements to Eastern Europe in support of NATO forces “over the next few days”announced Wednesday, February 2, the spokesman for the Pentagon, John Kirby.
These reinforcements, which add to the 8,500 soldiers placed on alert over the past month for a possible deployment on European soil, will be sent to Poland, Germany and Romania, the department said. of the defense. A thousand of these soldiers will be redeployed from Germany to Romania, and 2,000 others will be sent from the large American base of Fort Bragg, in North Carolina, to Germany and Poland.
The aim is to reassure allies as tension grows along the Ukraine-Russia border, as Mr. Kirby said during a press briefing:
“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.
It is important to send the strong signal to Mr. Putin, and, indeed, to the whole world, that NATO matters to the United States and that it matters to our allies. »
However, it is only a question of reinforcing the “eastern flank” of the Atlantic Alliance. “These forces are not going to fight in Ukraine”, which is not a member of NATO, said Mr. Kirby, stressing that it was a temporary redeployment. John Kirby added that these movements were not “not permanent”but also warned that there could be others if necessary.
“We don’t think conflict is inevitable”he insisted, reiterating that American diplomacy had “offered Russia a path to de-escalation”.
Macron-Biden discussion in the coming hours
For “dissuade” Russian President Vladimir Putin to go on the offensive in Ukraine, Americans and Europeans are multiplying the increasingly detailed threats of economic sanctions ” unprecedented “ and military support in Kyiv. US President Joe Biden also warned that he was ready to send reinforcements to the “eastern flank” of NATO, exactly what the Russians do not want.
Russia, in fact, denies any desire for invasion, claiming that it only wants to guarantee its security. But she believes that a de-escalation of this crisis is only possible by putting an end to NATO’s enlargement policy, particularly towards Ukraine, and a withdrawal of military capabilities from Eastern Europe. organisation.
Vladimir Poutine on Tuesday accused the Americans of ignoring Moscow’s security concerns. But he also said he hoped ” a solution “.
Mr. Putin again denounced Wednesday, in a conversation with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the refusal of NATO to take into account the concerns of his country for its security.
President Emmanuel Macron has announced that he will discuss the crisis in Ukraine with his American counterpart, Joe Biden, “in the next few hours” and that he did not rule out going to Moscow to try to find a diplomatic solution.
Claimed support from China
As diplomatic exchanges continue, the Kremlin claimed Beijing’s support on Wednesday, before a meeting between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. The Russian president is expected by his Chinese counterpart on Friday, for the start of the Winter Olympics (OG) in Beijing.
“A joint statement” has been “prepared”said Yuri Ushakov, diplomatic adviser to Vladimir Putin. “China backs Russian demands for security guarantees”, he added, referring to the list of demands addressed to the United States and NATO to reduce tensions over Ukraine, a list that the West rejected. At the end of January, Beijing had called “to be taken seriously” these requests.
Also listen Should we fear a Russian invasion in Ukraine?
Coincidence or not, Russia had waged war on Georgia, another pro-Western ex-Soviet republic, during the previous Beijing Olympics in the summer of 2008.
In Ukraine, the European leaders continue to support their ally, like the Dutch Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, who was received by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, the day after the visits of the heads of the British and Polish governments. . On Thursday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country is a supplier of combat drones to Ukraine, is expected in Kiev.
The Ukrainian army, after years of relative dearth, has seen Western arms deliveries increase in recent weeks, supplies denounced by Moscow. “These weapons are defence, we only think of peace”assured Mr. Zelensky, warning, on the other hand, the Kremlin that in the event of an attack the Ukrainians would not cede territories, “whatever the cost”.