U.S. to send new troops to European allies as 'first major movement' in Russia-Ukraine standoff

President Biden has approved the deployment of roughly 3,000 additional American troops to Europe "in the coming days", NBC News and The Wall Street Journal confirmed Wednesday. It's "the first major movement of U.S. forces in Russia's military standoff with Ukraine," intended to shore up the defense of European allies, the Journal writes.
According to a senior administration official, 2,000 soldiers from the U.S. will join troops already in Poland and Germany, while 1,000 troops in Europe will move to join U.S. troops currently in Romania, NBC News reports. The deployment was confirmed by Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, who assured the moves are not permanent and that forces are not going to fight in Ukraine; rather, they are going to bolster NATO allies.
On Friday, Biden said he planned to move U.S. troops to Eastern Europe and NATO countries "in the near term," NBC News adds. This latest decision arrives after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday accused the U.S. and its allies of ignoring Moscow's demands in the standoff. The move also follows word from Pentagon leaders claiming Putin "had deployed the necessary troops and military hardware to conduct an invasion of Ukraine," notes The New York Times.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Previously, Biden had said he would only deploy troops if Russia did actually invade, but he seems to have changed his opinion as the situation continues to unfold, adds Axios.
"Its important that we send a strong signal to Mr. Putin and the world that NATO matters," Kirby told reporters at a press conference, per the Times. "We are making it clear that we are going to be prepared to defend [our] NATO allies if it comes to that."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Brian Wilson: the troubled genius who powered the Beach Boys
Feature The musical giant passed away at 82
-
'HBCUs have always had to think more strategically'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Media: Warner Bros. kicks cable to the curb
Feature Warner Bros. Discovery is splitting into two companies as the cable industry continues to decline
-
How far would Russia go for Iran?
Today's Big Question US air strikes represent an 'embarrassment, provocation and opportunity' all rolled into one for Vladimir Putin
-
Are the UK and Russia already at war?
Today's Big Question Moscow has long been on a 'menacing' war footing with London, says leading UK defence adviser
-
Is UK's new defence plan transformational or too little, too late?
Today's Big Question Labour's 10-year strategy 'an exercise in tightly bounded ambition' already 'overshadowed by a row over money'
-
How will the MoD's new cyber command unit work?
Today's Big Question Defence secretary outlines plans to combat 'intensifying' threat of cyberattacks from hostile states such as Russia
-
What are the different types of nuclear weapons?
The Explainer Speculation mounts that post-war taboo on nuclear weapons could soon be shattered by use of 'battlefield' missiles
-
The secret lives of Russian saboteurs
Under The Radar Moscow is recruiting criminal agents to sow chaos and fear among its enemies
-
Ukraine-Russia: is peace deal possible after Easter truce?
Today's Big Question 'Decisive week' will tell if Putin's surprise move was cynical PR stunt or genuine step towards ending war
-
What's behind Russia's biggest conscription drive in years?
Today's Big Question Putin calls up 160,000 men, sending a threatening message to Ukraine and Baltic states