WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – 3,000 American soldiers are heading to Europe because of growing concerns that Russia will invade Ukraine.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby says the plan is to send 2,000 troops from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Poland and Germany. They’re also moving 1,000 American soldiers who were stationed in Germany to Romania.
“A clear signal that we’re not going to tolerate aggression against our NATO allies,” Kirby said.
The Pentagon emphasizes this is a defensive military move meant to protect Ukraine from Russia.
“These are not permanent moves. They are moves designed to respond to the current security environment. Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine,” Kirby said.
Russia calls the deployment unnecessary and destructive. However, even in the past few days, the country has continued building up forces on the Ukrainian border.
“There is one aggressor here. That aggressor is Russia,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said. “They are the ones who are threatening to invade a sovereign country.”
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell agrees with the move, but says he would have liked to see it happen sooner and is calling for the U.S. to impose sanctions now.
“Vladimir Putin’s campaign to forcibly redraw the map of the European continent is on the verge of massive escalation,” McConnell said. “To impose serious costs that could actually change Putin’s calculus.”
Military leaders say they’re still hoping Russia decides to de-escalate. They say what the U.S. does next depends on that decision.
“It’s precisely because we can’t be perfectly predictive that we want to be prepared and we want to be ready,” Kirby said.
The 8,500 American troops that were put on high alert will remain on alert, but aren’t being deployed just yet.
Kirby says France is also sending troops to Romania to be under NATO command, and other NATO allies are considering sending forces as well.
