NYT: Biden considers deploying troops, air force and navy in Eastern Europe According to the publication, the US is considering expanding its military presence in the region amid growing fears due to Russian actions. Biden may decide to send up to 5,000 troops to Europe this week .jpg” alt=”NYT learned of Biden's plans to deploy troops, air force and navy in Europe” />
US President Joe Biden is considering deploying several thousand US military personnel, as well as ships and aircraft, to the Baltic countries and Eastern Europe, reports The New York Times, citing sources in the US administration. US officials consider expanding military presence in the region amid growing concerns about a possible “invasion” Russia to Ukraine, the newspaper writes.
On Saturday, January 22, at a meeting in the country residence of the US President Camp David, high-ranking Pentagon officials presented Biden with several options for action, the sources said. They include sending from 1,000 to 5,000 troops to Eastern European countries with the possibility of a “tenfold increase” their numbers if the situation worsens.
Biden is expected to make a decision this week, according to newspaper sources.
The publication clarifies that none of the options considered provides for the deployment of additional US troops on the territory of Ukraine itself.
The move, writes the NYT, will be a “turning point” for the administration of the American president, which up to this point had taken a low-key stance towards Ukraine, fearing to provoke Russia. But since talks between Russian and US officials failed, the administration decided to abandon that strategy.
Biden, speaking last week at a press conference marking a year in office, said the US would if necessary, are ready to increase the American military presence on the eastern flank of NATO— in Romania and Poland. He allowed this possibility in December, emphasizing that this would happen in the event of an “invasion”; Russia against Ukraine.
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed Biden's announcement of an increase in the number of troops in the country in case “the security situation deteriorates further.”
Reports that Russia is preparing an attack on Ukraine, began to appear in the media last fall, and similar fears were expressed by the authorities of the United States, Germany and other countries. Moscow has repeatedly denied that it is developing such plans. Despite this, the Western countries threatened Russia with sanctions and announced the delivery of military aid to Ukraine.