The newspaper “Washington Post” quoted an official in the US Department of Defense, “The Pentagon”, who did not reveal his identity, as saying that “there will be changes in the situation in Europe,” explaining that Eastern Europe “will be fortified with forces from other NATO countries that calculate what will be necessary.” to deter Russia in the coming months and years.”
“For now, I think we’ll be able to make the Indo-Pacific a priority theater, knowing that we have to increase our size a little bit in Europe,” he added.
American bases with European funding
And the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Army, General Mark A. Milley, said this week that he favored establishing permanent bases for US forces, but rotating the deployment of soldiers “until we have a lasting effect”, at a lower cost.
Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Milley said, “I think a lot of our allies, especially those like the Baltic states or Poland or Romania, are ready to create permanent bases. They will build them and pay for them,” noting that these countries’ concerns about Russia are paying them to bear this cost.
Air Force General Todd de Walters, commander of US European Command, also said that NATO’s policy of rotating forces across Eastern Europe “must change”, and that countries there “are fully prepared” for NATO forces to take permanent responsibility for their security.
And the Ministry of Defense doubled the number of US forces in Europe after Russia mobilized its forces on the border with Ukraine before the start of the war on February 24, from 60,000 to more than 100,000 soldiers.
American compass
And about the repercussions of the Ukrainian war on the European and American scenes, the American academic at the University of Florida, who specializes in international relations, Eric Loeb, told Sky News Arabia that “the war is still accumulating its repercussions, and reshaping alliances,” adding that “Washington and NATO They will review their military presence in areas that secure their interests and prevent threats posed by the growing Russian influence.”
According to Loeb, there are movements taking place and making Washington’s compass turn more towards Europe after its previous decline, stressing that “after Russia’s annexation of the Crimea, the same trend prevailed, and Pentagon officials considered that the presence of forces in Eastern Europe is urgent to protect the interests of America and its allies in Europe.” .
Last week, John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, hinted in conjunction with these news that his country, along with its European partners and allies, would discuss the appropriate security situation in Europe.
Kirby noted that determining this situation is on the list of priorities for the administration of President Joe Biden “regardless of how this war ends,” and that the administration is in the process of deliberating about whether there is a need for a “larger permanent presence” of US forces.
In addition, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the issue is likely to be raised at the NATO summit next June.
And he stated that: “Our goal is to make sure that we continue to reassure our allies and partners, especially those on the eastern side and in the Baltic region,” that is, facing geographically the borders with Russia.
#Europeanfunded #bases #Americas #plan #benefit #Ukraine #war