US Army to Stay in Poland and the Baltic States Through 2015

World | November 24, 2014, Monday // 13:29
Bulgaria: US Army to Stay in Poland and the Baltic States Through 2015 Archive photo. Photo: EPA/BGNES

The deployment of US troops and military equipment in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia has been extended throughout 2015 in order to contain Russian aggression in the region, Lt Gen Frederick Ben Hodges, Commanding General of US Army Europe, has announced.

NATO deployed 600 US troops in April in response to the Russian involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and the secession of Crimea following the March referendum.

The troops were initially deployed until the end of the year in order to provide assurance to the Eastern European allies, who feared spillover of Russian aggression from neighbouring Ukraine.

However NATO wants to keep the deployment for at least another 12 months with rotations already planned throughout the next year.

European member countries of the Alliance have also stationed armed forces in the region in a series of military trainings, while NATO has deployed additional number of aircraft.

Hodges said that US forces were to be kept in Poland and the three Baltic states as long as it was required to deter Russian aggression and comfort the allies.

According to a 1997 NATO-Russia agreement permanent stationing of troops of the Alliance is forbidden in Poland and the Baltic states.

Thus, the deployment will remain a temporary one, but it is unclear when NATO will stop considering Russia a threat.

Russia considers the build-up of NATO forces so close to its borders as a provocative and dangerous step, saying it will respond with appropriate countermeasures.

 

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Tags: Russia, USA, NATO, Ukraine, Poland, Baltic states, military, deployment

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