U.S. troops deployed to support European allies amid tensions with Russia

• The Pentagon has deployed over 3,000 U.S. troops to Eastern Europe as support.
• The move was made amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.
• The troops currently stationed in Germany will also be repositioned to Romania.

Over 3,000 U.S. troops are being deployed and repositioned to support allies in Eastern Europe amid the rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Defense Department press secretary John Kirby, 2,000 troops currently stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. will be deployed to Germany and Poland “in the next few days.” An additional 1,000 troops currently stationed in Germany will then be repositioned to Romania.

Kirby made it clear to reporters on Wednesday that the moves are not permanent and are only made in response to the current situation.

“Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine,” he added. “They are going to ensure the robust defense of our NATO allies.”

With over 100,000 Russian troops amassed around the Ukrainian border, international governments have warned about an imminent military incursion of Ukraine.

Last month, the Pentagon put 8,500 troops on high alert to deploy. This will be largely in support of NATO’s response force, a multinational force of about 40,000 troops that can deploy on short notice. These troops have not yet been deployed and will remain on high alert status, according to Kirby.

NATO Secretary Jens Stoltenberg also said at the time that the alliance forces will not be deployed to Kyiv.

On Friday, President Biden announced his plan to send a small number of forces — “not too many” — to Eastern Europe in the “near term.” But the president has also clarified that U.S. troops will not be deployed directly to Ukraine.

According to the Pentagon, 1,700 forces from the 82nd Airborne Division and 300 forces from the 18th Airborne Corps will be deployed to Germany and Poland.

The Infantry Stryker squadron, instructed to deploy in short order, will be repositioned from Germany to Romania to join over 900 U.S. service members already in rotation.

These deployments were made under bilateral agreements with Poland, Germany, and Romania, and will remain under U.S command.

Source: The Hill