Russia-Ukraine War: US Sending 500 Troops to Europe as 'Defensive Forces'

According to a senior defense source, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered more US soldiers and military equipment to be transported to Europe over the weekend as Russia intensifies its attack on Ukraine.

According to the official, Austin sent some 500 more troops to Poland, Romania, and Germany "to respond to the current security situation in light of Russia's escalated aggression against Ukraine" and to protect NATO's eastern flank.

US Approves 500 Additional Troops Amid Ukraine Crisis

They emphasized that no American troops will be sent to Ukraine and that the extra forces will be "enablers" sent to NATO countries "to shore up capabilities that are already there." KC-135 refueling planes will be dispatched to Greece as part of the new deployment, however, it is unknown how many planes will be sent or where they will come from.

An air support operation center will also be dispatched to Poland and Romania, as well as an ordinance company and a maintenance company to Germany for "extra logistic support to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division" currently stationed there, according to the source.

They were unable to offer a breakdown of how many troops will be sent there, and they did not rule out the possibility of additional forces being sent later. As Russia's aggressive foray into Ukraine approaches its two-week mark, the US military now has around 100,000 people stationed in Europe on a rotational or permanent basis, The Hill reported.

The deployment comes as the Kremlin outlined its requirements for resolving the conflict in Ukraine on Monday, one of which is that Ukraine abandons its desire to join the European Union (EU) or NATO, both of which President Volodymyr Zelensky's government has openly petitioned for membership and support.

Meanwhile, most reports indicate that the Russian invasion is experiencing significant opposition from Ukraine's military and that it is still unable to conquer most of the country's key population centers, with its forces stalling or even regaining previously gained territory in several locations.

Mr. Kirby said on Monday that the Russian military's displeasure has contributed to morale problems among its troops and that intelligence obtained by the US administration indicated that many Russian troops were unaware they were being sent for an invasion of Ukraine until they landed in enemy territory, according to Independent.

US, Allies To Raise Cost on Russia

Meanwhile, during video teleconference conversations, the presidents of the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom pledged to punish Russia even more for its invasion of Ukraine, according to the White House. According to a statement released by the US, Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Olaf Scholz, and Boris Johnson "reaffirmed their intention to continue escalating the costs on Russia for its aggressive and unlawful invasion of Ukraine."

Western allies have kept a united front on sanctions against Russia for its aggression in Ukraine, but divisions erupted Monday over the threat of a ban on Russian oil and gas imports, which Germany, which relies on Russian gas, finds unacceptable. Following the meeting, Berlin issued a statement that did not mention penalties, instead of focusing on worries over humanitarian supplies to besieged areas, which the leaders also discussed.

Scholz has previously stated that Russian energy imports are "vital" to Europeans' everyday life and that blocking Russian oil and gas as part of Western sanctions might jeopardize Europe's energy security.

US legislators are putting pressure on President Biden to shut off a vital source of cash for Russian President Vladimir Putin's regime. When asked if oil may be the next target, Biden said "nothing is off the table." The United States, which is a major oil producer, buys very little Russian petroleum, as per NDTV.