US President Joe Biden said Friday he will soon send a small number of US troops to bolster the NATO presence in Eastern Europe, amid concerns around a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The United States and other Western nations have voiced concern over the buildup of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, claiming that Russia is planning an incursion. Russia has insisted it does not plan to invade Ukraine and has demanded security guarantees from NATO, including a promise that Ukraine will not join the military alliance.
Ukraine's military has been preparing for the possibility of a Russian invasion
This week, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said 8,500 troops were on "heightened alert" for possible deployment to assist NATO Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but the US fears spillover into neighboring NATO countries if Russia does attack Ukraine.
