NATO welcomes additional US forces to Romania, states reinforcements in east needed

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday that the alliance will continue to reinforce its eastern flank in the face of a Russian military buildup on Ukraine’s border, but that it will also explore a longer-term presence in the Black Sea region.

Stoltenberg, speaking alongside Romania’s president at a military air base in eastern Romania where extra US troops are being deployed, said the presence of American forces underscored the US commitment to Europe’s security.

‘Our NATO footprint in the eastern half of the alliance is being strengthened,’ Stoltenberg stated. ‘We’ve also increased NATO’s response force’s preparedness. These troops are currently stationed at their home bases, but they can be easily dispatched elsewhere in the alliance if necessary.’

‘On top of that, we’re thinking about making longer-term changes to our posture, such as forming battlegroups in the alliance’s southeast, which includes Romania as well as other nations in the Black Sea region.’

France has proposed to head a future NATO deployment in Romania that might include 1,000 troops from several countries, and battlegroups will be considered at a NATO defence ministers meeting next week.

Stoltenberg, on the other hand, stated that a decision on a longer-term presence may be taken in the spring.

‘I have consistently urged NATO, the United States, and other allies to maintain a more regular presence in the Black Sea region,’ Romanian President Klaus Iohannis stated.

The 1,000-man Stryker squadron relocating from Vilseck, Germany to Romania will supplement the 900 soldiers Washington presently has rotating in the Balkan country. Troops from Italy, Germany, and Poland are also present in Romania.

Stoltenberg also expressed alarm about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine on Friday.

‘There is a possibility of a full-fledged invasion, but there is also a chance of other types of hostile measures, such as attempts to destabilise the Kyiv administration, hybrid cyber-attacks, and many other forms of Russian aggression.’