US, NATO to increase military presence in Europe

The United States and its NATO allies say they have decided to increase their military presence in Europe in response to Russia's operation in Ukraine, which is now in its fourth month.

US President Joe Biden made the pledge at a NATO summit in the Spanish capital, Madrid, on Tuesday, as he spoke to Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

According to Press TV, Biden said Washington plans to increase the number of its naval destroyers based in Rota, southern Spain, from four to six, adding that the move is one of multiple announcements that the US and its NATO allies would make to help bolster the alliance in the region.

"The new commitments will constitute an impressive display of allied unity and resolve," Biden said.

The US president further accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of trying to "wipe out" Ukrainian culture in the ongoing war in eastern Europe.

"Sometimes I think Putin's objective is just to literally change the entire culture – wipe out the culture of Ukraine (with) the kinds of actions he's taking," he said.

In a joint statement following the Biden-Sanchez meeting, the US and Spain said Russia's offensive "fundamentally altered the global strategic environment" and that the "aggression constitutes the most direct threat to transatlantic security and global stability since the end of the Cold War."

US to announce 'long-term' military reinforcements in Europe

Meanwhile, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden would announce additional moves on Wednesday, suggesting that they would involve positioning "additional forces on the eastern flank" of NATO "in a steady state."

There would be "specific announcements tomorrow on land, sea and air of additional force posture commitments over the long term," he said, adding that the forces will be focused on the Baltics, Balkans and NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia.

Sullivan said one such announcement will be the basing of six US naval destroyers at Rota, Spain, which he said "will help increase the United States and NATO's maritime presence."

He further noted that NATO as a whole will announce a "historic set of deliverables... on the issue of force posture."

ME