[Text/ Observer Network Liu Chenghui] US Pentagon spokesman Kirby announced on the 24th local time that in response to the escalating crisis in Ukraine, as many as 8,500 US soldiers have been on high alert and may be deployed to Eastern Europe at any time. Just a day earlier, some U.S. government officials had said that the Biden administration was considering changing its previous stance and planning to increase troops to Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
Also on the 24th, US President Joe Biden and NATO's European allies held a video meeting, but the message of the meeting was not new - to strengthen nato's internal unity and warn that Russia would "pay a terrible price" to fight Ukraine.
The Russian side hit back on the same day that the United States and NATO were the main culprits in the escalation of the situation, and they spread a lot of lies and disinformation. Russia has also warned that there are signs that Ukrainian authorities are planning to launch an offensive against east Ukraine and that NATO should prevent Ukraine from provoking the war.
Diplomatically, the deployment has accelerated militarily, and the situation seems to be on the verge of breaking out. Following the United States and Britain, Germany and Australia have also been exposed as planning to evacuate their diplomats and their families. But Ukraine, at the center of the whirlpool, at least on the surface, is trying to show a state of calm.
"Most of the U.S. military is on high alert"
According to CNN (CNN) reported on the 24th, Pentagon spokesman Kirby said at a regular press conference that considering the threat posed by the build-up of Russian troops in the border area, as many as 8500 US soldiers have been on high alert and may be deployed to Eastern Europe at any time.
CNN: Under tension, 8,500 U.S. troops are on alert and ready to deploy to Eastern Europe
The report mentioned that U.S. Defense Secretary Austin issued a guard order under the direction of President Joe Biden, which is also the latest move taken by the United States in response to possible russian military action against Ukraine.
In recent days, although the Russian side has repeatedly stated that it has no plans to attack Ukraine, the united States and Ukraine have never stopped rendering the threat of Russian military deployment. Ukraine's defense ministry previously said that 127,000 Russian troops are currently stationed on the border between the two countries; elsewhere in Eastern Europe, Russia is also holding large-scale military exercises involving 140 ships and 10,000 soldiers.
It is in this context, Kirby said, that "most" U.S. troops are on high alert to support NATO's Rapid Reaction Force (NRF) in Europe. But he said that as of the afternoon of the 24th, the Biden administration has not made a final decision on the deployment of troops, and he has not disclosed the possible deployment location of the US military.
"The United States has taken steps to improve the readiness of its militaries at home and abroad so that they are prepared to respond to a range of emergencies, including support when NATO's rapid reaction force is activated." Kirby said NATO's Rapid Reaction Force "consists of about 40,000 multinational force soldiers."
He further explained that "once NATO forces are activated due to a deteriorating security environment, the United States will be able to quickly deploy additional combat brigades to Europe and strengthen logistical, medical, aviation, intelligence, surveillance, transportation and other capabilities." ”
Pentagon spokesman Kirby attended a press conference on the 24th
On the 23rd, US government officials revealed to the New York Times that Biden is considering changing his previous position and planning to increase troops to Eastern Europe and the Baltic Sea region. Senior Pentagon officials presented Biden with several options on Saturday (22nd), including sending warships and aircraft to Eastern European countries and 1,000 to 5,000 soldiers; if the situation deteriorates, this number could increase tenfold.
CNN noted that the purpose of the U.S. reinforcements to Eastern Europe is to deter Russia and appease allies, and while the U.S. does have military advisers in Ukraine, there is no indication for the time being that U.S. combat troops will be deployed to Ukraine or participate in any combat mission.
The United States and Europe meet and then put harsh words: Russia is afraid to pay a "heavy price"
In the past month of intensive negotiations, Russia and the United States and Europe have shown no signs of compromise, and all parties can only continue to increase pressure to maintain their positions at the expense of the deterioration of the situation. Also on the 24th, US President Biden and NATO European allies held another 80-minute video meeting. But the message of the meeting was nothing new — strengthening unity within NATO and warning that Russia would "pay a terrible price" for striking Ukraine.
Speaking at a news conference after the meeting, Biden said he had "a very, very, very good meeting" with European leaders who were "completely aligned" in their positions on how to deal with the Crisis in Ukraine. The White House said in a news release that the meeting was part of the Biden administration's consultation and coordination with European allies in response to Russia's military buildup, with leaders discussing how to strengthen security on NATO's eastern flank and warning russia would "pay a heavy price" for an attack on Ukraine.
White House press secretary Psaki revealed on the 24th that Biden and his national security team have been perfecting the military plan to "deal with all situations", including the option of sending troops to Eastern Europe before Russia may "invade" Ukraine. But he tried to emphasize that the increase in troops does not mean a change in Biden's thinking, because Biden has never ruled out the possibility of sending more U.S. troops before russia "invades," which is part of our contingency plan." ”
Biden held an online meeting with European allies and NATO leaders on the 24th (Picture from the US president's Twitter)
In the name of security assistance, the United States has shipped two shipments of weapons to Ukraine over the past week. After the arrival of the first batch of "lethal weapons" of more than 90 tons, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov announced on social media on the 23rd that the second batch of weapons provided by the United States to Ukraine has arrived in Ukraine.
NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg said in a statement on the 24th that NATO countries will also send more ships and fighter jets to Eastern Europe and put troops on standby. "NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all its allies, including strengthening the eastern part of the alliance."
Latvian army participates in NATO military exercises (NATO official push)
As things stand, in addition to the United States, Denmark has sent one frigate to the Baltic Sea and four F-16 fighters to Lithuania; the Netherlands has sent two F-35 fighters to Bulgaria; France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania...
But Stoltenberg argued that the measures were all modest defensive measures and that NATO "did not threaten Russia."
CNN noted that the NATO statement did not imply that the additional troops would be used to aid Ukraine, which is not yet a NATO member.
In December last year, Biden also said that because Ukraine is not a member of NATO, the United States will not send troops to protect Ukraine, and the United States has no obligation to send troops.
Russia fights back: The United States and NATO are the main culprits in the escalation of the situation
In response to the operation of the United States and NATO yesterday to continue to increase pressure on russia, Russian presidential spokesman Peskov slammed that "it is precisely because of the specific actions taken by the United States and NATO that tensions have escalated." He refuted the so-called "Russia plans to install a 'puppet government' in Ukraine" news that had been exposed by the British media: "I mean, we are witnessing a hysterical phenomenon in the information field, full of a lot of false information and lies. ”
Peskov also targeted Ukraine on the 24th, saying that the large-scale assembly of Ukrainian troops in the Contact Line in the Donbass region shows that Ukraine is planning to launch an attack.
"The Ukrainian government is concentrating a large number of troops and equipment on the border with the self-proclaimed 'Donetsk Republic'. In fact, the essence of this assembly is to prepare for offensive operations. In this case, Peskov said, the Russian side hopes that NATO will urge Ukraine not to consider the possibility of a military settlement.
"At present, the possibility of Ukraine provoking a military conflict in the Eastern Region of Ukraine is higher than ever." Peskov said.
According to the Russian Satellite News Agency, Alexei Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Affairs Commission of Ukraine, claimed at a press conference on the 24th that "Ukraine is not ready to attack anyone." Danilov argues that the weapons ukraine now accepts are defensive in nature, and many hope that Ukraine will use them to defend against a Russian "invasion."
Ukraine: not succumbing to provocations, but will "stay calm"
In a tense atmosphere, the United States and the United Kingdom have begun to reduce the number of diplomatic personnel in Ukraine.
On the 23rd, the U.S. Department of State announced that it had approved the voluntary departure of U.S. government employees from the Embassy in Ukraine, ordered the families of diplomats to evacuate, and urged U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine. The United Kingdom followed on the 24th, announcing that some embassy staff and their families were evacuating Kiev, while reminding their citizens not to travel to Ukraine unless necessary.
The U.S. has raised ukraine travel warnings to the highest level four
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrell told reporters at the EU Foreign Affairs Commission in Brussels on the 24th that Europe will first seek to reconcile tensions between Russia and Ukraine through diplomatic means, but he warned Moscow that if necessary, the EU will be ready to take action. He also urged calm, stressing the need to avoid "overreactions that could lead to an escalation of events."
Furelli added that the EU has no plans to evacuate diplomats and their families from Ukraine for the time being. However, after the United Kingdom and the United States, Germany and Australia have also been exposed to plans to evacuate their diplomats and their families, but the official statement has not yet been expressed.
In CNN's view, there is a tension between Russia and Ukraine, NATO countries have stepped up their preparations, and the European Union is discussing growing security issues, but the Ukrainian government has not — at least on the surface, not shown the same sense of urgency.
Ukrainian President Zelenskiy said in a telephone conversation with European Council President Michel on the 24th that Ukraine will not succumb to provocations, but will "remain calm."
The Zelenskiy administration has tried to downplay the risk of a Russian "invasion," stressing that the threat has been around for years and has not been further increased in recent months.
Another obvious example is Ukraine's reaction to the withdrawal of U.S. and British personnel from Ukraine. After the US State Department issued the evacuation documents, the Ukrainian government criticized the Biden administration's decision. Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, said on Twitter that "we believe that this move is premature and overly cautious." ”
A source close to the Ukrainian government also revealed that Zelenskiy had spoken to U.S. Secretary of State Blinken about the incident, and Zelenskiy expressed his displeasure, telling Blinken that if the United States took "such dramatic" measures, it would be "overreacting."
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