MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th February, 2022) NATO has deployed additional 1,000 troops to a major air base in Romania as part of the bloc's effort to bolster its military presence in Eastern Europe amid Ukrainian tensions, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday.
"As we speak, 1000 US troops are deploying to this base (Mihail Kogalniceanu military base), bringing the total number of US service members to almost 3000 at this base,"�Stoltenberg said at a joint press conference with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
Stoltenberg said earlier in the day that the risk of military conflict in Europe persists and confirmed the alliance's intention to build up its presence in the eastern flank amid tensions around Ukraine. Moscow, in turn, has accused NATO of escalating the situation around Ukraine in order to increase its presence near the borders of Russia.
