The United States is considering deploying about 150 soldiers for military exercises to begin in Poland and Estonia in the next few weeks, a Western official says.
The exercises would follow Russia's buildup of forces near its border with Ukraine and its annexation last month of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel in recent days has said the US is looking for ways to reassure its NATO allies of its strong commitment to collective defence. The Pentagon's press secretary, Rear Admiral John Kirby, said in a statement on Friday that American officials are considering a range of additional measures to strengthen air, maritime and ground readiness in Europe.
Ground exercises in Poland and Estonia would last about two weeks, but such exercises would continue off and on over time, the official said, and other locations in Eastern Europe would be considered. The official was not authorised to discuss the plan by name because it has not been made final and requested anonymity.
No specific date for the deployment of an Army company, which usually consists of 150 soldiers, has been set but an announcement is expected next week, the official said.
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Kirby's statement about additional measures didn't offer specifics. "Some of those activities will be pursued bilaterally with individual NATO nations. Some will be pursued through the alliance itself," he said.
