Protect NATO East Wing From Ukraine Crisis, US Stryker Squadron Arrives In Romania

Illustration of a US military Stryker squadron convoy from Germany. (Wikimedia Commons/defenseimagery.mil)

JAKARTA - United States troops transferred to Romania from Germany arrived in the country late Wednesday, the Romanian Ministry of Defense said, and will protect NATO's eastern wing from potential spillovers from the Ukraine crisis.

The United States sent nearly 3,000 additional troops to Poland and Romania to strengthen the defenses of Eastern Europe. In Romania, they moved a squadron of US service member Strykers from Vilseck, Germany.

The ministry said part of the squadron, which will be named Task Force Cougar (TF), will enter Romania at around 20:00 GMT and drive across the country to the Mihail Kogalniceanu military base in the eastern region of Constanta.

US forces have used the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in the Black Sea since 1999. Romania, a NATO member since 2004, also hosts the ballistic missile defense system.

The Stryker Squadron, which is designed to be deployed on short notice, will add to the 900 troops the US currently rotates in Romania, some as part of NATO forces and some under separate bilateral arrangements.

France has also offered to be the lead state of a future NATO mission in Romania, which can host about 1,000 troops from various countries, and a decision could be made at the next NATO defense ministers meeting in mid-February.

"Our contribution is that we will step up whatever NATO does, and we generally support NATO's efforts to build a battle group here," US State Department Adviser Derek Chollet told reporters in Bucharest on Wednesday, citing Reuters February 10.

"Strengthening the east flank from north to south is NATO's top agenda, no doubt. One thing we have explained to the Russian side is, if they continue this escalation and if they choose to take over the military, the road regarding Ukraine, they will see more. a lot of NATO capabilities on the east side," he warned the Krelin.