US diplomats deny possible reduction of military presence in Eastern Europe
Brussels, 8 January, LETA – DPA. U.S. diplomats on Friday denied reports that the United States would prepare a proposed reduction in the number of troops stationed in Eastern Europe ahead of talks with Russia over the tensions on Ukraine’s borders ahead of next week.
“The administration is not preparing for the possible withdrawal of forces from Eastern Europe,” US Ambassador Julian Smith said on Twitter, commenting on news from NBC that plans were being made to reduce U.S. troops in Poland and the Baltics in exchange for withdrawing Russian troops from Ukraine.
“In fact, we have made it clear to Russia, publicly and privately, that if Russia invades Ukraine even deeper, we will step up [atbalstu] “our NATO partners in the eastern flank, against whom we have a sacred duty as allies,” said Ned Prais, a spokesman for the State Department.
Russia has concentrated a contingent of some 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s borders, and the Kremlin has issued an ultimatum to the West demanding a halt to further NATO expansion to the east and the dismantling of the Alliance’s infrastructure in the so-called new member states on 27 May 1997, that is, before the first enlargement of NATO.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened that if Moscow does not receive the “security guarantees” he has demanded, he will have to take “military technical measures”.
Talks between the US and Russia on “security guarantees” demanded by Moscow are scheduled for Monday in Geneva.
NATO has already called Putin’s ultimatum demands absurd.
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