The US has moved to deploy its troops to Eastern Europe in the latest effort to defuse tensions with Russia over Ukraine. The first set of US troops that were deployed by Washington has now been reported to arrive in Poland.
The first set of US troops that were deployed by the US has arrived in Poland over the weekend. The troops arrived in the Rzeszow military base in southeastern Poland. A Polish military source revealed to AFP that a small military plane transporting the US troops’ chain of command landed in the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in the midst of preparations at the base, which is the border Poland shares with Ukraine.
“As announced, the first elements of the brigade battle group from the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army have arrived in Poland,” said the spokesperson for the Polish military.
This follows US President Joe Biden’s formal approval of sending an additional 3,000 troops to Poland and Romania to deter the potential fallout from a possible Russian incursion into Ukraine. US Army sources told the outlet that around 1,700 troops would be deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland over the coming days.
Fears have grown that Russia may plan an invasion of Ukraine following the buildup of thousands of Russian troops at the border the two countries share. Moscow has repeatedly denied planning an invasion yet has accused the US of escalating the conflict. Washington has also repeatedly warned Russia that any attempt at an invasion would result in severe penalties.
In another effort to defuse tensions in the region, French President Emmanuel Macron will be meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. Macron will be traveling to Moscow, where he will meet Putin. Ahead of the trip, Macron said he hopes to talk about “the terms of de-escalation” during the meeting with his Russian counterpart.
Following his visit to Moscow, Macron will then travel to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Moscow has demanded that the US and NATO agree to a list of guarantees in the midst of the tensions in the region. Among the guarantees was to bar Ukraine from joining the alliance and stop any plans for an eastward expansion.