Alwaght- Russia has slammed the increasing military buildup by the US in Eastern Europe and near Russian borders as "destructive" and said it weakens chances of reaching a settlement to Ukraine standoff.
The American president Joe Biden ordered deployment of 17,000 troops to Poland and some 300 to Germany. He also ordered a 1,000-strong armored unit to be deployed from Germany to Romania. The US had already placed 8,500 troops on heightened alert to prepare for deployment in Eastern Europe and bolster NATO's presence in the region.
The fresh deployments are meant to boost NATO's deterrence in its member states closest to the Russian borders.
Later in the day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko responded by slamming the new deployments as a "destructive step" that made it harder for a compromise between Russia and NATO over Ukraine, reported Press TV.
The US says it takes the moves as Russia builds up presence near Ukraine borders.
The Russian military has been amassing troops near the country’s border with Ukraine, heightening US and European fears that Moscow may be preparing for an imminent invasion of its neighbour.
Moscow, however, dismissed the fears as media propaganda by the West that has always been demonizing Moscow.
The Ukrainian crisis is flaring up an arms deployment race in eastern Europe. As West continues to deliver lethal weapons to Ukraine and Eastern European bordering Russia, Moscow deploys heavy arms to its ally Belarus. It deployed S-400 missile systems to Belarus last week. That is in addition to squadrons of fighter jets.
On Wednesday, Pentagon said Washington made a proposal to Moscow on arms deployment.
Pentagon confirmed media reports that Washington offered to allow Moscow to confirm there are no Tomahawk cruise missiles at bases in Romania and Poland – on the condition that Russia reciprocates with its own “transparency measures”.
