Pentagon to Deploy 3,000 Troops to Europe as War between Russia-Ukraine Looms

On Wednesday, the Pentagon announced that it would deploy 3,000 troops to Germany, Poland, and Romania as tensions rise with Russia over Ukraine.

In a statement, the Pentagon said that the troops are not among the 8,500 placed on heightened alert last week to support a NATO quick-reaction force if it is activated, Kirby said. More troops have been placed on alert, Kirby said, declining to indicate how many.

The 3,000 will bolster allied forces in Germany, Poland and Romania. They'll come from units in the USA and Europe.

"These are not permanent moves," Kirby said. "They are designed to respond to the current security environment. Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine. They are going to ensure the robust defense of four NATO allies."

Russian President Vladimir Putin has massed troops on Ukraine’s border for months, raising concerns of an imminent incursion or full-scale invasion. He wants assurances that Ukraine will not be allowed to join NATO and other concessions from the West.

The majority of the 2,000 troops from the USA will be sent to Poland and include infantry soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. A headquarters group will be sent to Germany.

More forces may be sent, Kirby said.

"This is not the sum total of the deterrence actions we will take or those to reassure our allies," he said.