The Pentagon is proposing to deploy heavy military equipment enough for 5,000 American military in several Baltic and Eastern European states, the New York Times has reported.

According to US and allied officials of the newspaper, the plan is “a significant move to deter possible Russian aggression in Europe,” the newspaper said on Saturday.

The Pentagon could deploy tanks, armored vehicles and other heavy weapons enough for as many as 5,000 American troops in newer NATO member states, according to the newspaper.

“As the proposal stands now, a company’s worth of equipment — enough for about 150 soldiers - would be stored in each of the three Baltic nations: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Enough for a company or possibly a battalion — about 750 soldiers — would be located in Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and possibly Hungary,” according to the sources.

The Pentagon’s proposal, if approved, would mark the first stationing of US military equipment in the newer NATO member states in Eastern Europe that had once been part of the Soviet sphere of influence.

The proposal needs approval by US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and the White House to take effect.

No decision had been made about the equipment, a Pentagon spokesman said in comments on the article in the New York Times, according to Reuters.

"Over the last few years, the United States military has increased the prepositioning of equipment for training and exercises with our NATO Allies and Partners,The U.S. military continues to review the best location to store these materials in consultation with our allies. At this time, we have made no decision about if or when to move to this equipment,” the Pentagon spokesman said.

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