Ukraine Today
March 31, 2015
NATO commander says military convoy in Czech Republic sends reassuring message
NATO’s top military commander General Philip Breedlove has said an armoured vehicles convoy travelling by road in the Czech Republic sent a message of reassurance. Speaking in Romania, Breedlove said he and NATO are ready to defend against Russian belligerence.
Philip Breedlove, NATO Commander, US European Command: “Crowds have come out to welcome these soldiers and their vehicle. They return home. So, it’s been a good message of reassurance, a good message to our nations, and we were able to exercise some skills that we haven’t exercised in quite some time.”
Breedlove said a decision on whether Romania would host heavy military equipment from NATO will soon be made public.
Philip Breedlove, NATO Commander, US European Command: “This decision will be announced very soon, how this all will be accomplished and my expectation is that if Romania is asked to participate, they will do so as they have done in every NATO venture so far.”
Three convoys of American soldiers crossed from Poland into the Czech Republic on Sunday, en route to their home base in Germany.
Around 500 American soldiers were returning from their Baltic NATO exercise Atlantic Resolve. The exercise is intended as a demonstration of support for NATO members in Central Europe who may feel threatened after Russia’s annexation of Crimea and what NATO said was the open participation of Russian troops in the Ukraine conflict.
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