MOSCOW | Russia said on Wednesday that it was not “intimidated” by US President Joe Biden’s announcement of an upcoming strengthening of the US military presence in Europe amid heightened tensions with Moscow.
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“Those who propose such decisions have the illusion that Russia can be intimidated, somehow contained: they will not succeed,” said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.
“There will be no results, not the results they expect from these efforts,” he added.
On Wednesday, Mr. Biden announced that the United States would “strengthen its military positioning in Europe” so that NATO could “respond to threats from all directions and in all areas”.
The American presence in men and capacities will be reinforced in Spain, in Poland, in Romania, in the Baltic States, in the United Kingdom, in Germany and in Italy, he indicated, without giving figures.
This announcement, made in Madrid where a NATO summit is being held, comes in the midst of a crisis between Russia and the West since the launch, at the end of February, of a military offensive by Russia against Ukraine.
“The security of the countries where the additional (American) contingents will be deployed will not be reinforced,” Mr. Ryabkov said.
“What is happening now will undoubtedly lead in response to action on our part,” he added, without providing details.