By Phil Stewart
TALLINN (Reuters) – The United
States will pre-position tanks, artillery and other military equipment
in eastern and central Europe, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter
announced on Tuesday, moving to reassure NATO allies unnerved by Russian involvement in Ukraine.
Carter, during a trip to Tallinn, said the Baltic states –
Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia — as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Poland
agreed to host elements of this heavy equipment. Some of the equipment
would also be located in Germany.
The U.S. decision to stage heavy equipment closer to Russia’s borders aims to speed deployment of rotating U.S. forces as NATO steps up exercises in Europe following Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region last year.
Neighbouring NATO countries,
especially the former Soviet Baltic states with their Russian
minorities, fear Russia could foment trouble on their territories.
Moscow denies any such intention.
Flanked by defense chiefs from the Baltic states, Carter
quoted Obama during a visit to Estonia saying: “You lost your
independence once before. With NATO, you will never lose it again.”
“That’s because the United States and the rest of the NATO alliance are absolutely committed to defending the territorial integrity of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania,” Carter said.
Full article available here: http://www.euronews.com/newswires/3027215-pentagon-chief-to-push-us-allies-to-ditch-cold-war-playbook/
Source: Euronews
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