Ukraine-Russia faceoff: Biden deploys 3,000 troops; taps India, other allies for fuel if conflict erupts

By Anish KumarFirst Published Feb 2, 2022, 10:32 PM IST
Highlights

US will send around 2,000 soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C., to Poland and Germany in the days to come and reposition about 1,000 soldiers in Germany to Romania.

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine border faceoff in the Donbas region, United States President Joe Biden's administration has decided to deploy over 3,000 troops to support its alliance partners in Europe. 

Addressing media persons, Pentagon Chief Spokesman John Kirby said that the US will send around 2,000 soldiers from Fort Bragg, N.C., to Poland and Germany in the days to come and reposition about 1,000 soldiers in Germany to Romania.

As per the US media reports quoting sources, the Joe Biden administration has reached out to South Korea, India, Japan and China to meet the need of additional fuel for its partners in Europe if a conflict over Ukraine erupts.

"US is working with companies and governments. They are in touch with Nigeria, Egypt, Libya," the reports quoted sources. 

However, India's Ministry of External Affairs has so far not responded. 

.: The United States will soon move additional forces to Romania, Poland, and Germany. I want to be very clear about something: these are not permanent moves. pic.twitter.com/SnQnGnCvwN

— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense)

The situation arises after the two neighbouring countries failed to reach any consensus and Russia continues amassing their soldiers along with the Ukrainian border areas for the last couple of months. 

Last week, Biden had stated that he is intended to deploy a small contingent of US service members into Eastern Europe as tensions between Russia and Ukraine are mounting. 

"We are in active consultations with allies about their needs," He said. 

The Pentagon spokesperson had refused to name the nations, where the US would send its troops but said any decisions will be made “in lockstep” with allies. 

As many as 8,500 soldiers have been kept on high alert in the US and are ready to be sent to Europe. There are four NATO countries that share borders with Ukraine are Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Hungary. 

The US and the NATO nations have raised apprehensions that Russia could repeat as what it had done with Crimea in 2014. Moscow had annexed Crimea and it is being believed that Ukraine may be invaded. However, Russia has time and again clarified that the troops are deployed to conduct military exercises. Over a lakh troops have been amassed at the Ukrainian border areas.

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