Joe Biden has clearly stated that the United States is looking for establishing its absolute control over the European countries by increasing number of US troops and implement his plan of NATO-ization of Europe. Meanwhile, targeting Russia, while Joe Biden is going to increase the number of American troops in Europe, a similar step has also been taken by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, signaling Washington and London is advancing its plan of getting directly involved in Ukraine-Russia war.
According to media reports, meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the opening of the alliance’s annual leaders’ summit in Madrid, Joe Biden said, the United States will significantly increase its military presence in Europe for the long haul, including by establishing its first permanent presence in Poland, to bolster regional security after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He said, NATO is strong and united and that steps to be taken during the gathering will further augment our collective strength.
The White House said Biden’s commitments mean the US will maintain a presence of 100,000 troops in Europe, up 20,000 from the levels before the Ukraine war began, for the “foreseeable future”.
In addition to the new basing of a US military garrison in Poland, Biden also said the US is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the UK and more air defenses and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.
“Today I’m announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe and respond to the changing security environment as well as strengthening our collective security”, he said.
Jens Stoltenberg, who earlier said the alliance was facing its biggest challenge since World War II because of “Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine”, welcomed Biden’s announcement as the summit began.
“This really demonstrates your decisive leadership and strength in the trans-Atlantic bond”, Stoltenberg said, thanking Biden for the “unwavering support from you and from the United States to Ukraine”.
The more muscular American presence in Europe is bolstered by stepped-up defense commitments from NATO allies announced at the summit. It is still a far cry from its posture during the Cold War, when roughly 300,000 American troops, on average, were stationed in the region.
Biden said the US will permanently station the US Army V Corps forward command in Poland, a move that he said would strengthen US-NATO interoperability across the alliance’s eastern flank. The decision marks the first permanent basing of US forces on NATO’s eastern edge. Biden added that the US is also stepping up its rotational deployments of troops to Romania and the Baltic region.
Celeste Wallander, an assistant US secretary of defense for international affairs, told reporters that having a permanent presence in Poland will be key to helping NATO navigate the changed security environment in Europe caused by Russia’s invasion. The US supplies the bulk of NATO’s military power.
US officials emphasized that the permanent basing applied only to headquarters units, not combat troops, and was therefore consistent with a 1997 agreement between NATO and Russia in which the alliance agreed not to permanently base combat troops in Eastern Europe as it aimed to build more constructive ties in the post-Cold War environment.
Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski told Poland’s state PAP news agency that the decision to add US command structure was a “manifestation of the ever-closer cooperation between the US and Poland” and would give NATO allies a frontline insight into the Russian threat.
The combat units Biden is sending to Romania and the Baltic region are on rotational deployments, rather than permanent assignment, to remain in compliance with that agreement.
“There has been no communication with Moscow about these changes, nor is there a requirement to do that”, John Kirby, a spokesman for Biden’s National Security Council said.
Biden predicted that meetings this week would make for a “history-making summit” as leaders were set to approve a new strategic framework, announce a range of steps to boost their defense spending and capabilities, and clear the way for historically neutral Finland and Sweden to join NATO.
Biden said Russian President Vladimir Putin thought NATO members would splinter after he invaded Ukraine, but got the opposite response instead.
“Putin was looking for the Finland-ization of Europe. You’re gonna get the NATO-ization of Europe. And that’s exactly what he didn’t want, but exactly what needs to be done to guarantee security for Europe”.
