The first set of U.S. troops sent to reinforce NATO allies in Eastern Europe arrived in Poland on Saturday amid a Russian buildup of troops along the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Approximately 300 members of the United States 82nd Airborne Division arrived near Poland’s border with Ukraine on Saturday, with a total of 3,000 service members expected to deploy to Poland and Romania. Nearly 2,000 forces, mostly from the 82nd Airborne Division, will be deployed from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over the next few days.
“The rapid deployment and arrival of this Corps within 24 hours upon notification, once again demonstrates our ability to deploy at a moment’s notice. Our Corps’ presence serves to bolster existing U.S. forces in Europe and demonstrates our commitment to our NATO Allies and Partners,” Capt. Matt Visser, a spokesman for the XVIII Airborne Corps, said in a press release shared with the Washington Examiner.
BIDEN DEPLOYING 3,000 TROOPS TO FORTIFY EUROPE AMID RUSSIA-UKRAINE STANDOFF
One thousand troops already stationed in Germany are expected to be transported to Romania via a Stryker Squadron, the Pentagon said, though no timeline for the transfer was given.
Among those arriving Saturday was U.S. Army Major General Christopher Donahue, commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, the U.S. Army confirmed in the press release.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that the purpose of the mission in Poland was to help defend NATO allies in case of a Russian attack on Ukraine. The mission was not offensive.
“Collectively, this force is trained and equipped for a variety of missions to deter aggression and to reassure and defend our Allies,” a U.S. European Command spokesperson told The Hill. “We have been working in close coordination with our Allies in Poland and Germany to set the stage for these deployments and arrivals, and we appreciate their support.”
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Russia has continued to deny plans to invade Ukraine, but the Eastern European power has deployed 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border. The country has warned it could take military action if certain demands are not met.
