Sun Sentinel Broward Edition

Europe defense chiefs outline threat as U.S. details military aid

- BY LOLITA C. BALDOR

TALLINN, Estonia — The U.S. will spread about 250 tanks, armored vehicles and other military equipment across six former Soviet bloc nations to help reassure NATO allies facing threats from Russia and terrorist groups, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Tuesday.

Carter’s announceme­nt, made as he stood with defense chiefs from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, comes a day after he announced that the U.S. would have other weapons, aircraft and forces, including commandos, ready as needed for NATO’s new rapid reaction force to help Europe defend against potential Russian aggression from the east and the Islamic State and other violent extremists from the south.

The defense chiefs standing with Carter all spoke bluntly about the threat they perceive from Russia.

Estonia’s Defense Minister Sven Mikser said the Baltic leaders aren’t trying to restart the Cold War arms race or match Russian President Vladimir Putin “tank for tank,” but the additional military presence will be a deterrent to Russia and could change the calculous.

Each set of equipment would be enough to outfit a military company or battalion and would go on at least a temporary basis to Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. Carter said the equipment could be moved around the region for training and military exercises and would include Bradley Fighting Vehicles and self-propelled howitzer artillery guns.

Germany will be participat­ing in the expanded military effort but already has U.S. equipment.

“We intend to move those equipment sets around as exercises move around,” Carter told a news conference. “They’re not static. Their purpose is to enable richer training and more mobility to forces in Europe.”

 ?? AP ?? Lithuania’s Juozas Olekas, left, was among defense chiefs joining Defense Secretary Ash Carter in Tallinn, Estonia.
AP Lithuania’s Juozas Olekas, left, was among defense chiefs joining Defense Secretary Ash Carter in Tallinn, Estonia.

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