John Kirby on increasing NATO contingent in Europe: if the situation around Ukraine worsens
Photo: Carlos Barria / Reuters
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby called the condition for increasing the presence of NATO troops in Europe. He spoke about this on Tuesday, January 4, during a briefing, RIA Novosti reports.
According to him, this will follow only in response to the request of the member states, if the situation around Ukraine worsens. Kirby clarified that there is no talk of this yet.
“This hasn’t happened yet,” Kirby said, adding that he could not specify whether the US would send its citizens to augment NATO troops in Europe.
Kirby also said in a briefing that US NATO allies have not yet approached Washington for changes in the direction of additional military capabilities.
On December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry published the draft agreements of the Russian Federation with NATO and the United States on security guarantees in Europe. The document, in particular, says that Washington should not create military bases in the territories of the former USSR countries that are not NATO members. The United States also did not recommend using their infrastructure for any military activity and developing bilateral military cooperation with them. Negotiations on the proposals will begin in Geneva on January 10, 2022.
