US president Joe Biden on Wednesday announced additional US reinforcements of NATO forces in Europe. He said NATO will be strengthened in ‘all directions’.
“(NATO will be) strengthened in all directions across every domain – land, air and sea,” Biden was quoted as saying by news agency AFP after he reached the transatlantic alliance summit in Madrid.
The US earlier hinted that it will send two additional destroyers to the Rota Naval Station in Spain with an aim to bolster American presence in the region. The fleet of US naval destroyers has now increased from four to six.
A report by the Associated Press said that American forces in Europe would also be increased to counter any threat to NATO. The US already stationed 80,000 troops in Europe and following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, increased the amount by 20,000 more.
Biden also tried to calm Poland’s nerves as it agreed to set up a permanent headquarters of the 5th Army Corps there. The US will also deploy an additional rotational brigade in Romania which will consist of ‘3,000 fighters and another 2,000 personnel combat team’.
The US will make enhanced rotational deployments in Baltic countries. The UK will also benefit from the announcements as two additional squadrons of the F-35 stealth planes will be deployed there.
Biden said the US will help bolster additional air defense and other capabilities in Germany and in Italy.
“Together with our allies we’re going to make sure that NATO is ready to meet the threats from all directions across every domain,” Biden said while addressing reporters after his meeting with NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg.
“We’re going to step up,” Biden said. He said Europe is suffering as Russian president Vladimir Putin shattered peace and the ‘tenets of rule-based’ order with his war on Ukraine.
He said NATO is needed now more than ever and is crucial in the current climate.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to rain bombs on Ukrainian cities as the fight for seizing control of Lysychansk rages on. Russian forces are attempting to close the town of Bakhmut to trap Ukrainian forces defending Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk and Luhansk.
(with inputs from AFP)
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