8,500 US soldiers have been put on “high alert” status following tensions escalated with Russia on Ukrainian soil. According to the spokesman for the US Department of Defense, John Kirby, the measure would allow the deployment time to be shortened if that decision is made, although this is linked to the talks it holds with its NATO allies.
The United States has placed on “high alert” 8,500 soldiers before a possible deployment in Eastern Europe by the escalation of tension with Russia over Ukraine. He also asked his citizens to leave Ukrainian soil.
The Pentagon raised the tone before Moscow, although it has not yet made any decision on the deployment of its personnel in conflict territory.
The spokesman for the US Department of Defense, John Kirby, explained that these military units, most of them on land, they will be ready in less time in case Russia decides to advance towards Ukraine.
“We are not deploying them now, we are not saying that diplomacy is dead,” Kirby stressed, adding that being on “high alert” the preparation time to deploy is cut from ten to five days.
The spokesman stressed that the bulk of US troops would be deployed to Eastern European countries within the NATO Response Force (NRF), so they would be activated only if the Atlantic alliance requests it.
It is up to NATO reactive forces
Kirby explained that it is up to NATO to activate this multinational force, which consists of ground, air and sea forces, and that It has regarding 40,000 soldiers from different countries.
However, the Pentagon spokesman did not rule out a possible “unilateral” US deployment outside the NRF, although he insisted that in that case it would always be in coordination and following consultation with the allies.
Asked where the US deployment would take place, Kirby offered no details, saying only that it would be in allied nations on NATO’s eastern flank.
In addition, he explained that the US contingent would be made up of combat brigades, which they would have the support of logistical, medical and aviation teams, among others.
The White House confirmed on Monday that it had discussed with its European allies a possible deployment of US troops in Eastern Europe.
“We have been consulting with our allies and detailing plans for all scenarios.. We have always said that we would reinforce our allies on the eastern flank and we have been discussing it with our partners for the last few weeks,” government spokeswoman Jen Psaki told a news conference.
Despite this increased rhetoric from the US, the EU foreign ministers they still do not appreciate a risk of “imminent attack” on Ukraine following speaking with the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken.
“No, I don’t think there is anything new that might increase the feeling of fear regarding an imminent attack,” said the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, at a press conference at the end of the Council of Community Foreign Ministers. , which Blinken joined via videoconference.
In fact, the members of the EU are not going to follow for the moment the measure adopted by Washington to withdraw non-essential personnel from its Embassy in Kiev, and this despite the fact that the White House asked Americans in Ukraine on Monday to “leave” the country.
“We are convinced that it is time to leave,” said Psaki, who assured that his government is not going to carry out an evacuation, like the one it did in Afghanistan.
The State Department on Sunday ordered the families of employees at its embassy in the Ukrainian capital to leave Ukraine and authorized the departure of non-essential personnel before the “continued threat of military action by Russia.”
The US assures that it has no differences with partners
Given the disparity of criteria, the State Department assured this Monday that has no “differences” with its European partners and assured that it will respond “this week in writing” to the security demands requested by Russia.
Blinken and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, met on Friday in Geneva and following that meeting Moscow hopes that this week the US and NATO will respond in writing to its demand for security guarantees, which include, among others, curb further expansion of NATO and the cessation of all military cooperation with the former Soviet republics.
In parallel, Biden spoke this Monday followingnoon for an hour and twenty minutes with the president of the European Commission (EC), Ursula von der Leyen; NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and several European leaders to coordinate the response to the concentration of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine.
The Atlantic Alliance announced this Monday that it puts “in a state of alert” and sends additional warships and warplanes to NATO deployments in Eastern Europe, bolstering allied deterrence and defense, as Russia continues its military buildup in and around Ukraine.
