US indicates deploying 50,000 soldiers in Eastern Europe

Washington / Moscow – As the threat of Russian aggression on Ukraine grows, the United States has signalled that it will increase its defense presence in Eastern Europe. Besides, options in this regard were presented at a meeting held by President Biden at Camp David in the United States last week. Sources in the Biden administration have indicated that warships and fighter jets, including 50,000 troops, will be deployed in Eastern European countries if needed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has expressed that the US defence forces could land even in Ukraine. The United States has also warned of restrictions on exporting semiconductors to Russia.

Moreover, talks between Russia and the West on Ukraine have failed without a solution. Against the backdrop of this failure, offensive military action seems to have resumed on both sides. Russia has stepped up defense deployments along the Ukraine border and deployed additional military units and defense systems in Belarus. Ukraine and the West claim that Russia is also moving into eastern Ukraine. On the other hand, NATO member states, including the United States, have begun to respond to a possible Russian offensive.

The United States and Britain have sent missiles and other weapons to Ukraine. Britain, as well as Canada, have deployed troops of their special forces in Ukraine. Defense deployments are also being extended to Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, close to the Russian border. Comprehensive NATO war exercises have also started in the Mediterranean Sea on Monday and a US aircraft carrier along with the Carrier Strike Group is participating in the exercises. However, going beyond that, the Biden administration in the US has hinted at further enhancing the defence deployments in Europe.

Last week, US President Joe Biden had a meeting with the senior officials from defence and other departments. Sources said the defence department presented some proposals in the meeting. According to one of the proposals, 50,000 American troops could be deployed in Eastern Europe if needed. Sources in the Biden administration said US warships and fighter jets would also be deployed along with these personnel. There are nearly 63,000 US soldiers in 15 European countries as per current figures. Of these, deployments in Eastern European countries are less than a thousand. Against this backdrop, the proposal to deploy 50,000 troops is noteworthy.

Meanwhile, US sources have hinted at stopping the supply of semiconductors from being exported to Russia. US officials have said that sanctions on semiconductors are being seriously considered in the sanctions imposed on Russia. Russia imports most of its semiconductors and chips from China. But the chips required for advanced technology and the air sector are imported from ‘TSMC’ in Taiwan. It is being said that the United States can force the Taiwanese company to support the sanctions against Russia.