Top US general stated that American forces do not train Ukrainian troops currently in Poland.
After President Joe Biden suggested that a program was in place to train Ukrainian soldiers to be trained in Poland while clarifying an earlier gaffe, the head of US forces Europe stated that he wasn’t aware of such a program.
Speaking to lawmakers during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, General Tod Wolters – Commander of the US European Command (EUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe for the NATO bloc – said there is no training mission in Poland “at this time.”
“I do not believe we are in the process of currently training military forces from Ukraine in Poland,”Wolters spoke with Republican Senator Tom Cotton (Arkansas).
But, it is generally agreed that there were “liaisons”With Ukrainian troops in Poland, and that they are “being given advice,”But it can be argued “that’s different than I think [what] you’re referring to with respect to training.” He did not offer details on what those ‘liaisons’ include.
Wolter’s comments come after President Biden attempted to walk back prior remarks about the conflict in Ukraine, having told American soldiers stationed in Poland last week that they would soon “see”They were seen in the nation, suggesting they might be sent there. Biden claimed that he is “talking about helping train … the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland,”He was again in trouble as White House officials tried to explain that US troops aren’t training any foreign troops on Polish soil.
Kate Bedingfield was the White House communications director. She spoke to reporters at a news briefing Monday afternoon. “there is regular interaction between Ukrainian soldiers in Poland and the US troops that the president saw on the trip,”Biden insists that he did not reveal the information accidentally “compromised information.”
“The troops that he met with in Poland routinely interact with Ukrainians. That is something that’s known,”She continued but declined to give details about the interactions between troops and civilians.
When Wolters was asked about the US troops currently in Europe, Wolters stated that American troop numbers have increased from 60,000 to 100,000 in recent months since Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine. A large proportion of these soldiers have been deployed to Germany. Wolters also noted that nearly half would be in combat if they were activated. “teeth”The US presence. Some of the troops may be stationed on the continent permanently, Wolters added, stating that European defense contributions in the coming months would determine EUCOM’s next steps.
While Washington and other NATO states have worked to bolster Kiev’s defenses with arms shipments, the allies have repeatedly stated they will not get directly involved in the war in Ukraine, instead committing to defend the territory of member states only. Although the US has previously declared that Ukraine will one day be admitted to the bloc, the country is still not part of NATO. The Biden administration warned that American intervention might lead to an armed confrontation between Moscow or World War III.
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