“We recognize this dynamic situation now requires us to give it another fine-tooth look to see what’s necessary to ensure that we’ve got deterrence of Russia and that we can absolutely 150 percent say that NATO is safe and secure,” Mara Karlin, the assistant Defense secretary for strategy, plans and capabilities, told lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee, The Hill reported.
“So we’re looking at what sort of troop presence, whether it’s rotational or permanent, is necessary given this current security environment, both in the near term and frankly, in the long term,” she added.
Karlin stated the Pentagon will take another look at the 2021 Global Posture review, released late last year. The document, which looked closely at troop numbers in Europe and elsewhere, at the time found forces to be “about right”, in their locations and offered no recommendations for major shifts.
Karlin was responding to the committee’s ranking member Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) who said that prior to Russia’s attack, there were discussions of sending permanently-stationed US troops to Romania and other Baltic countries.
Several Eastern European countries in the past month have become more vocal about asking the United States for more American troops to be stationed within their borders after the Kremlin's incursion set off fears that Moscow may move to attack other nations.
Kosovo earlier this week asked the US to establish a permanent military base in the country and called for accelerating its membership to NATO as “immediate need[s] to guarantee peace, security and stability in the Western Balkans".
The US currently contributes 635 troops to Kosovo as part of a NATO peacekeeping mission in the country, whose independence is recognized by more than 110 countries but not by Russia and four NATO members.
Last month, ex-Soviet nation Lithuania — where the US keeps a rotational force of about 500 troops — indicated that it would also ask the US to permanently station America forces there.
The Joe Biden administration has already surged roughly 15,000 US troops to Eastern Europe to bolster NATO’s defense capabilities, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to security concerns in the region.
In addition, the administration has asked Congress for $6.4 million, including $3.5 billion for the Pentagon, to respond to the conflict. Those billions would pay for American forces operating in Europe and weapons the US government is sending to Ukraine.
The United States in the past year has committed roughly $1 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including its most recent package of lethal aid worth $350 million authorized last week.
The United States will continue its military support to Ukraine, including by supplying weapons to the country, according to the US Department of Defense.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had a phone conversation with Ukrainian Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov on Tuesday "to offer his support for the Ukrainian people" amid the ongoing Russian military operation.
"Secretary Austin emphasized that the United States is united with our Allies and partners in our resolve to support Ukraine, including through the continued provision of defensive security assistance. The leaders committed to continuing their close coordination during this war that Russia alone has started," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby announced in a statement.
No comments:
Post a Comment