Biden touts 'total unanimity' with European leaders against Russia

US President Joe Biden claimed he shared “total unanimity” with European leaders against Russia amid Washington’s claims that Moscow is preparing to invade Ukraine, despite reports that many European states – including the two most powerful countries on the continent, Germany and France – appear resistant to the continuous NATO expansion to Russia’s borders.

"I had a very, very, very good meeting. Total unanimity with all the European leaders. We’ll talk about it later,” Biden said on Monday following a call to discuss strategy in response to Russia’s moves against US-led NATO provocations.

He declined, however, to take any questions on the matter from reporters, saying "you'll only ask me about Russia."

Washington has insisted upon expanding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) into the former Soviet states of Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, and the nations of the defunct Warsaw Pact, since the Cold War ended. Russia has vowed to counter any such Western attempts.

Biden virtually met for 80 minutes on Monday with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The leaders "reiterated their continued concern about the Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders and expressed their support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," the White House said in a readout of the call.

"The leaders underscored their shared desire for a diplomatic resolution to the current tensions and reviewed recent engagements with Russia in multiple formats. The leaders also discussed their joint efforts to deter further Russian aggression against Ukraine, including preparations to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia for such actions as well as to reinforce security on NATO’s eastern flank."

This comes after US officials said Monday the Pentagon was preparing up to 8,500 U.S. troops to potentially deploy to Eastern Europe in response to the threat of a “Russian invasion”.  

“The United States will act firmly in defense of its national interests in response to actions by Russia that harm us, our allies, or partners,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin “has placed a range of units in the United States on a heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces if NATO should activate the [NATO Response Force] or if other situations developed,” at the direction of Biden.

“All told, the number of forces that the secretary has placed on heightened alert comes up to about 8,500 personnel,” Kirby said.

NATO countries are also sending additional ships and fighter jets to Eastern Europe and putting forces on standby.

US further ratchets up tensions with Russia, puts 8,500 troops on 'higher-alert'

The United States is further ratcheting up tensions with Russia, announces to put about American 8,500 troops on heightened alert for a possible deployment to Eastern Europe.

In a statement on Monday, Stoltenberg welcomed the move, adding that the Western military alliance “will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the alliance.”

Moscow was quick enough to hit back at NATO’s announcement, warning the military alliance that Russia will “respond appropriately” if the US boosts troops in Eastern Europe and the Baltic countries.

Russian lawmaker Andrei Kartapolov, who heads the Russian parliament's defense committee, raised the alarm over the alliance’s expansion in Eastern Europe and urged the US not to fuel tensions.

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