The United States will create a new permanent army headquarters in Poland and increase its long-term military presence across the length and breadth of Europe in response to threats from Russia, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.
U.S. media reports say President Biden said on June 29 that the United States will significantly increase its military presence in Europe for the long haul, including by establishing its first permanent presence in Poland, to bolster regional security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg at the opening of the alliance's annual leaders' summit in Madrid, Mr. Biden said "NATO is strong and united" and that steps to be taken during the gathering will "further augment our collective strength."
According to CBS News, U.S. president opened his participation in the summit by announcing the permanent basing of a U.S. military garrison in Poland.
He reportedly also said the U.S. is sending two additional F-35 fighter jet squadrons to the United Kingdom and will send more air defense and other capabilities to Germany and Italy.
New U.S. warships will go to Spain, fighter jet squadrons to Britain, ground troops to Romania, air defense units to Germany and Italy and a wide range of assets to the Baltics, Biden announced at a NATO summit in Madrid, according to Euronews.
NATO secretary-general, who earlier Wednesday said the alliance was facing its biggest challenge since World War II because of Russia's aggression toward Ukraine, welcomed Mr. Biden's announcement.
Meanwhile Euronews cited a senior U.S. official as telling reporters that the United States has not communicated its new deployment plans to Russia, and sees no requirement to do so.
Celeste Wallander, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for international affairs, reportedly told reporters that having a permanent presence in Poland will be key to helping NATO navigate the changed security environment in Europe caused by Russia's invasion.
U.S. officials emphasized that the permanent basing applied only to headquarters units, not combat troops, and was therefore consistent with a 1997 agreement between NATO and Russia in which the alliance agreed not to permanently base combat troops in Eastern Europe as it aimed to build more constructive ties in the post-Cold War environment.
