US to deploy additional 2,500 troops to Poland as tensions simmer over Ukraine

Poland says the United States is set to deploy an additional 2,500 troops to the country as part of Washington's plans to station more soldiers in Eastern Europe amid tensions with Russia.

Pawel Soloch, head of the Polish National Security Bureau, made the announcement on Wednesday, days after US President Joe Biden said he planned to deploy more American forces to Eastern Europe "in the near term" to reinforce the region against an alleged Russian threat.

"We rely on American soldiers, and such negotiations have been held. The US has already declared the other day the transfer of more than 8,000-8,500 soldiers for all of Eastern Europe. It looks like we will have about 2,500 additional soldiers," Soloch said.

He also said there were currently two plans in development, with one scenario envisaging American soldiers being physically present in Eastern Europe, including in Poland, and the other one considering the creation of a mechanism to deploy a significant number of troops, should there be such a need.

Currently, there are some 5,500 US soldiers deployed in Poland.

Biden says to send troops after Ukraine asks West 'not to stir panic'

US President Joe Biden says he will soon deploy American military forces to Eastern Europe as part of a plan to maintain pressure on Russia.

The latest development comes as Russia and the US-led NATO have recently been at odds over Ukraine. Western countries accuse Russia of planning an invasion of Ukraine amid a military buildup near the Ukrainian border. Moscow rejects the allegation and insists that deployments are defensive in nature.

The US military has already placed 8,500 troops on heightened alert to prepare for deployment in Eastern Europe and bolster the NATO presence in the region following allegations about a Russian plan to invade Ukraine.

The US State Department has also approved shipments of US-made missiles and other weapons from NATO allies Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia to Ukraine.

Other NATO members, including Britain and Poland, have agreed to directly send arms to Ukraine, including handguns, ammunition, and anti-tank weapons.

The US and the European Union have threatened tough sanctions against the Kremlin in the event of an attack on or invasion of Ukraine.

Kremlin: US escalating tensions over Ukraine, Russia eyes actions with great concern

The Kremlin says the United States is fueling tensions over Ukraine, stressing that Moscow is watching with great concern, after Washington put thousands of troops on alert for deployment in Eastern Europe.

In December last year, the Russian government demanded that the Western military alliance deny Ukraine membership and roll back its military deployments in Eastern Europe. Moscow also stressed that the US must not establish any military bases in the former Soviet states that are not part of the NATO, and not form any bilateral military alliance with them.

Russia has repeatedly reiterated that the expansion of the NATO military infrastructure in Ukraine constitutes a red line for Moscow and that any future expansion must exclude Ukraine and other former Soviet countries.

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