“I want to stress two things: They're being repositioned inside Europe … and these are temporary deployments.”
Pentagon Press Sec. John Kirby on the latest moves of the U.S. military in Europe.
Published on
feb 24, 2022
- The Pentagon says some U.S. military forces (aviation/ground forces) based in Europe will be moved elsewhere amongst NATO allies.
- This move also includes equipment such as F-35 Strike Fighters and helicopters.
- The goal? "... to reassure our NATO allies ..." as well as deter any action against NATO states.
- This announcement came shortly before a Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- Roughly 90,000 U.S. soldiers are based in Europe.
- "... I think, I would hope, that he understands that some of those lives at risk are going to be his soldiers' lives. And he's going to have to answer to Russian moms and dads ..." John Kirby on Pres. Putin, prior to the invasion.
- Why It Matters: Besides repositioning soldiers already located in Europe, the Pentagon has also ordered the deployment of additional U.S. soldiers to Europe as tensions continue to increase with Russia.
