In a bid to support the defense of U.S. allies in Europe and in response to Russia’s takeover of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, the U.S. military is boosting its NATO presence in this region.
A Defense official confirmed the U.S. will send six additional F-15s and one KC-135 to “augment the mission” in the Baltic countries; after Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel alluded to this effort during a testimony on Capitol Hill earlier today.
The additional aircraft will be sent from a base in Britain to Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania, this is in addition to the current provision of four F-15s known as the Baltic Air Policing rotation, an official said.
“This action is being taking from a request of our Baltic Allies which further demonstrates our commitment to NATO security,” according to the official.
Additionally, the official stated the Pentagon is in the process of consulting with Polish allies about increasing activities in connection with a separate detachment mission in that country. Poland presently hosts 10 U.S. Air Force personnel as part of joint aviation training work.
Secretary of State John Kerry described these decisions as “concrete steps to reassure our NATO allies,” as he spoke during a press conference in Paris, France. The Obama administration officials are continuing to urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to “de-escalate” and they have not verified that any military options are placed on the table at this point in time.
In Hagel’s remarks earlier today, he focused on U.S. diplomatic and aid efforts since Moscow’s invasion into the Ukrainian territory. Hagel indicated he would speak later on today with Ukraine’s new defense minister; Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey spoke to his Russian counterpart earlier today. Neither Hagel nor Dempsey mentioned military options; and Dempsey told the Senate panel “He urged continued restraint to reserve room for diplomatic solution.”
The hearing was initially intended to focus on the military’s budget, but both witnesses rapidly addressed the ongoing events in Ukraine.
Russian troops began taking control last weekend of much of the peninsula in the Black Sea, where Russian speakers are in the majority. Moscow doesn’t recognize the Ukrainian leadership coming to power after protesters ousted the country’s pro-Russian president last month. It cited strategic interests as well as the protection of ethnic Russians in making its case for intervention.
Hagel said the U.S. reaffirms its commitment to allies in the Central and Eastern Europe, some have spent decades in the last century under Soviet domination. Fearful about moves evocative of Russia’s Cold War policy of regional supremacy but also to worry about damaging trade and energy partnerships vital to their economies; this is the cause for European countries to grapple with their own response to the crisis.
In January 2014, the United States assumed control over NATO’s air policing duties over the Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and Belgium previously had a four-month rotating duty. The mission “not only protects the integrity of NATO airspace, it also illustrates the alliance’s core function of collective defense,” the 28-nation bloc said in a statement at the time.
Barbara Kasey Smith wrote this article based on a Fox News.Com report and a contributed report of the Associated Press.
Source:
Fox News.Com & contributing report by the Associated Press