US President Joe Biden approved the deployment of additional forces in eastern Europe, US media reported on Wednesday.
Under the plan, the US will reportedly send about 2,000 American troops to Poland and Germany, while 1,000 troops would move from Germany to Romania.
The troops in Poland will be put on high-readiness, according to DW correspondent Teri Schultz.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stressed they would not be fighting in Ukraine.
“They are not permanent moves,” he said. “They respond to current conditions.”
A Stryker squadron of around 1,000 US service members in Germany would be sent to Romania, the Pentagon said, adding that around 1,700 troops, mainly from the 82nd Airborne Division, would deploy from the US to Poland, and 300 service members would go to Germany.
DW Washington correspondent Oliver Sallet called it a symbolic move, given that there are already 60,000 US troops stationed in Europe.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak welcomed the deployment in a post on Twitter, saying: “Strengthening the US presence in Poland by 1,700 troops is a strong signal of solidarity in response to possible Russian aggression against Ukraine.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the deployment.
Following the announcement, the Kremlin said the deployment was a “destructive” move.
“Not substantiated by anyone, destructive steps which increase military tension and reduce scope for political decisions,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Russia’s Interfax news agency. – DW.
