US places 8,500 troops on 'high alert' for eastern Europe deployment
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US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says 8,500 US troops have been placed on alert for a possible deployment to eastern Europe over tensions with Russia on Ukraine.
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The bulk of the troops will fill in the ranks of a NATO rapid response force if deployed
The US military put 8,500 troops on high alert for a possible deployment to Europe, according to Pentagon.
The US decision is a bid to increase tensions with Russia amid the crisis with Ukraine, as talks between Washington and Moscow failed to result in de-escalation. The US hopes NATO allies would feel reassured by this move.
Although this decision does not reinforce US support to Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, it aims to shore up NATO's eastern flank.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby said most of these troops will fill in the ranks of a joint NATO rapid response force, adding that this is "really about reassuring the eastern flank of NATO. It's also about "proving how seriously the United States takes our commitment to NATO and to the Article Five commitment inside NATO."
NATO's Article Five is the alliance's commitment to collective defense. The alliance so far has close to 4,000 troops serving in multinational battalions in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, that are equipped with tanks, air defenses, and intelligence and surveillance units.
Western countries have repeatedly accused Russia of continuing to intensify its army buildup along Ukraine's border and issued new warnings against any "aggression" by Moscow, which Russia repeatedly denied while maintaining its right to defend its security.
Macron calls for a quick de-escalation around Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron voiced concern about the situation near the borders of Ukraine, calling for a quick de-escalation, the Elysee Palace said.
Macron took part in a video conference hosted by US President Joe Biden, during which the situation in Ukraine was discussed. Presidents of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, the European Council President Charles Michel, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and the leaders of Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Poland all participated in the video conference.
In a statement, the Elysee Palace added that “President Macron expressed his deep concern over the situation on the Ukrainian border and the need to work collectively to de-escalate it quickly. This de-escalation must involve strong, credible warnings to Russia, requiring constant coordination among European partners and allies, as well as a stepped-up dialogue with Russia, which we are in the process of conducting."
It is worth mentioning that Ukraine's Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, has announced on Sunday that the country had received a second shipment of weaponry from the US as part of a $200 million defensive military package.
