Roughly 20,000 troops mobilized in Europe in support of NATO since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are on track to stay in place going into the new year, training not only with local partners, but with Ukrainian troops outside of their country.
The Pentagon announced Dec. 15 that monthly rotations of 500 Ukrainian troops would travel to U.S. Army ranges in Germany for combined arms maneuver training, an effort to reinforce their formations as they enter a second year of fighting back against the Russians.
In Lithuania, the U.S. will upgrade its periodic deployments to a consistent, heel-to-toe rotation schedule, the U.S. embassy announced Dec. 7. Units will include a field artillery battery and an armored element with several hundred soldiers.
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“As President Biden has said, we are committed to defending every inch of NATO territory,” U.S. Ambassador Robert Gilchrist said in a release. “These U.S. deployments demonstrate this commitment, and while we continue to adapt our force posture in the region, we are committed to maintaining a persistent, heel-to-toe presence in the region and intensifying training with our Baltic Allies to maintain combat credible capabilities and to enhance our defense and deterrence posture.”
Pentagon officials have said there are no current plans to draw down U.S. military presence in Europe, which numbers roughly 100,00 troops since spring 2022.
Meghann Myers is the Pentagon bureau chief at Military Times. She covers operations, policy, personnel, leadership and other issues affecting service members.
