The US will send 3,000 additional troops to Poland, Poland’s defence minister said late on Friday, confirming an earlier Reuters report, as Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea following the buildup of its forces near Ukraine.
The additional troops will be sent to Poland in the coming days, four US officials told Reuters on Friday.
The deployment comes as Washington steps up warnings that Russia could be poised to invade Ukraine. Russia denies it plans to invade, saying it is defending its own security against aggression by Nato allies.
Polish defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak wrote on Twitter late on Friday that Poland is ready to welcome the US troops anytime.
NATO jest zjednoczone, by zapewnić bezpieczeństwo wschodniej flanki. Administracja
— Mariusz Błaszczak (@mblaszczak) February 11, 2022przyśle do
dodatkowe 3 tys. żołnierzy w związku z napięta sytuacją na
. Rozmawiałem dziś o tej sprawie z @secdef L. Austinem. Jesteśmy w każdej chwili gotowi na przyjęcie żołnierzy
“The US administration will send additional 3,000 troops to Poland due to the tense situation in Ukraine. I spoke today about this issue with (US defence secretary Lloyd) Austin,” he said. “We are ready at any time to welcome US soldiers to Poland.”
The officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said the US troop deployment will come from the 82nd Airborne Division based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and not from within US forces in Europe.
