President Obama has announced a plan to invest $1 billion in stepping up its military presence in Eastern Europe amid the Ukrainian crisis. The White House will send more troops and equipment to the region to “reaffirm” its commitment to NATO allies.
Speaking at a news conference in Warsaw, Obama said America was
stepping up its partnership with countries in Eastern Europe with
a view to bolstering security. The moves are aimed at upping the
pressure on Russia, which Washington has accused of inciting
unrest in Ukraine.
In line with the plans, Obama will ask Congress to provide up to
$1 billion to finance the deployment of more troops and
equipment.
"Under this effort, and with the support of Congress, the
United States will preposition more equipment in Europe,"
Obama said at the Polish capital's Belweder Palace.
Earlier in the day Obama met with US and Polish air personnel in
Warsaw and said the US had already begun rotating additional
soldiers in the region.
"Given the situation in Ukraine right now, we have also
increased our American presence. We've begun rotating additional
ground troops and F-16 aircraft into Poland... to help our forces
support NATO air missions," said Obama, calling the
commitment to NATO allies in Europe “the cornerstone of our
own security.”
Obama called on Moscow to refrain from further provocation in
Ukraine and said it has a responsibility to work constructively
with the new government in Kiev. He added that the troop buildup
in Eastern Europe was not meant to threaten Russia, but
“rebuilding trust may take some time.”
The American president will meet with newly-elected Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko during his two-day stay in Poland.
Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski praised Washington’s plans
to beef up military forces in the region.
"We welcome them as an announcement of a real return by NATO
to standing very strongly by the basis of the alliance, which is
Article 5, which speaks about the collective defense of the
countries' territories," Komorowski said.
Russia has decried the increase in NATO troops close to its
border as a blatant provocation and accused the organization of
fueling violence in Ukraine. Moscow has said it is ready for
dialogue with Poroshenko, but has urged the newly elected
President to halt the “anti-terror operation” in the
east of Ukraine.
“NATO is providing Kiev – a member of its Partnership for
Peace program – with technical assistance, thus encouraging the
prolongation of its use of force. Thus the Alliance accepts a
part of the responsibility for the escalation of the situation,
and the collapse of diplomatic negotiations,” said Aleksandr
Grushko, Russia’s envoy to NATO.
Thus far the US has deployed 600 troops for military drills in
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland.
John Rees, British political analyst and national officer at Stop the War Coalition, told RT the US’ moves were indicative of an “expansionist mood” which could usher in a “dangerous period of interstate rivalry.”
Rees said operation Rapid Trident, a joint US, UK and Ukrainian military drill due to take place next month, could escalate the current crisis even further.
“I cannot think of anything more dangerous in the current circumstances than to have a deployment of UK and US troops alongside Ukrainian troops this summer,” he told RT.