President Joe Biden is sending about 2,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland and Germany and shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania as demonstrations of America’s commitments to allies on NATO’s eastern flank amid fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Pentagon said Wednesday.
“It’s important that we send a strong signal to Mr. Putin, and frankly to the world, that NATO matters to the United States,” said John Kirby, Pentagon press secretary.
Russia fired back with a sharply worded objection, calling the deployments unfounded and “destructive.”
The Pentagon also has put about 8,500 U.S.-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as additional reassurance to allies.
Wednesday’s developments had local military experts weighing in on the matter. Already some Florida National Guard members are in Ukraine training soldiers. They have already been in place as part of the training for the Ukrainian military to be prepared if Russia moves in. If that happens, News4JAX was told the Florida National Guard will move out.
While News4JAX reached out to the local National Guard but did not immediately hear back, News4JAX did talk with retired Florida National Guard Maj. Gen. Douglas Burnett about what is taking place.
“Currently, Florida National Guard soldiers are in the Ukraine training Ukrainian soldiers how to use what we would call shoulder launch weapons. The soldier holds his weapon — it could be an antitank weapon, which is currently what they are doing. It can also be a ground to air,” Burnett said.
Should Russia escalate the situation in Ukraine, Burnett said, don’t expect the Florida National Guard to stick around.
“I am sure there is a get out of Ukraine plan sitting somewhere with giant airlifters ready to move those soldiers out at a moment’s notice,” Burnett said.
As for the other troops being deployed, Burnett does not see it escalating into a full-fledged war.
“Those soldiers will not go to Ukraine. To get into a ground combat skirmish with the Russians is not going to happen. It quickly escalates and then you start looking at nuclear options and we don’t want that, so, hopefully, this diplomacy will work,” Burnett said.
And if it does not, Burnett believes the conflict would only last a couple of weeks.
News4JAX also spoke with retired Navy Adm. Robert Natter, who said that anytime there is a standoff like this, something could easily go wrong.
News4JAX has been checking with Navy officials locally who, at this point, are not saying anything about its involvement in the area, but Natter said it can’t be ruled out. The understanding is that the 3,000 military personnel involved in the troop deployment are basically ground forces. Still, Natter said, there could be some naval involvement should this escalate.
“I would indicate that the chances are that the highest probability would be the Navy is in the Mediterranean, but I don’t see us based on what the president has been saying conducting combat operations in this scenario,” Natter said.
While the recent buildup of U.S. troops will be staying outside of Ukraine, Natter said that does not mean conflict won’t happen.
“When you have armed forces facing one another, a lot can go wrong and, in fact, usually does. In the best intention of the leadership back in the Capitol somewhere, civilian oversight is fine except when the lead starts flying, lots of weird things happen,” Natter said.
The Navy had not issued any statement as of Wednesday afternoon.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, on a cable news program this week blamed President Biden’s foreign policy and for not doing more with sanctions.
“Now Putin is laughing at Biden. He amassed troops on the border, but he’s also putting at risk our allies Poland and Lithuania who are actually willing to stand up to Russia and China,” Scott said.
U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Florida District 4, sent News4JAX the following statement:
“I support countering Russian aggression through sanctions, weapons assistance, and regional troop deployments. We should not, however, position ourselves to engage in another war. Americans should be just as concerned about the southern border as the Ukrainian border, and Congress must focus on securing the homeland, reducing inflation, and ending vaccine mandates.”
News4JAX has reached out to other members of Congress for their response to the tensions over Ukraine.
