US to send more troops to Germany, Poland

US President Joe Biden approved the deployment of additional forces in eastern Europe, US media reported on Wednesday.

Under the plan, the US will reportedly send about 2,000 American troops to Poland and Germany, while 1,000 troops would move from Germany to Romania.

The troops in Poland will be put on high-readiness, according to DW correspondent Teri Schultz.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby stressed they would not be fighting in Ukraine.

"They are not permanent moves," he said. "They respond to current conditions."

A Stryker squadron of around 1,000 US service members in Germany would be sent to Romania, the Pentagon said, adding that around 1,700 troops, mainly from the 82nd Airborne Division, would deploy from the US to Poland, and 300 service members would go to Germany.

DW Washington correspondent Oliver Sallet called it a symbolic move, given that there are already 60,000 US troops stationed in Europe.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak welcomed the deployment in a post on Twitter, saying: "Strengthening the US presence in Poland by 1,700 troops is a strong signal of solidarity in response to possible Russian aggression against Ukraine."

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg also welcomed the deployment.

Moscow calls it 'destructive'

Following the announcement, the Kremlin said the deployment was a "destructive" move.

"Not substantiated by anyone, destructive steps which increase military tension and reduce scope for political decisions," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Russia's Interfax news agency.

Possible missile reductions in Europe

The US troop announcement came after leaked documents revealed the United States told Russia it was willing to discuss a deal on missile deployments.

Spanish daily El Pais published two documents from NATO and the US that were responses to Russian security demands in Europe.  

"The United States is willing to discuss conditions-based reciprocal transparency measures and reciprocal commitments by both the United States and Russia to refrain from deploying offensive ground-launched missile systems and permanent forces with a combat mission in the territory of Ukraine," the US document read.

The US said it would be willing to discuss "a transparency mechanism to confirm the absences of Tomahawk cruise missiles at Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland."

That offer is conditional on a Russian offer of "reciprocal transparency measures on two ground-launched missiles bases of our choosing in Russia."

US Aegis Ashore systems are meant for defending against short- or intermediate-range missiles. Russia claims that these systems could be armed with Tomahawk intermediate-range missiles and used to attack Russia. The document says it would have to consult closely with NATO allies, particularly Romania and Poland.

The documents contain no mention of Ukraine's hopes of joining NATO — the key issue that has riled Moscow. In the NATO document, 30 allies said they "reaffirm our commitment to NATO's Open Door policy."

Sources confirmed to DW that the leaked NATO document was indeed the alliance's response to Moscow, and this was later backed up by the Pentagon's Kirby.

Russia has amassed more than 130,000 troops on the border with Ukraine along with heavy equipment and supplies, prompting fears of an imminent invasion. Russia has denied it intends to invade Ukraine but issued various demands against what sees as NATO threats.

Germany's Scholz heading to Moscow

German chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on Wednesday that he will travel to Moscow to meet with Putin in Moscow soon.

"I will soon speak (to Putin) in Moscow about the topics that are necessary. There needs to be coordinated politics on the European Union and NATO," Scholz said during an interview with public broadcaster ZDF.

He did not provide a date for the trip, but said it would be soon.

He is due to meet with Biden on February 7 at the White House to discuss the Ukraine crisis.

Russia seeks Chinese support

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his first public remarks on the standoff in more than a month, accused the US and its allies of ignoring their main demands, but said that Moscow was open to talks to ease tensions.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced that China would back Moscow over its security concerns when Putin attends the opening of the Winter Olympics this week.

The Kremlin's top foreign policy adviser said Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held a common position on global security.

"A joint statement on international relations entering a new era has been prepared for the talks," Yury Ushakov told reporters. He said it would reflect Moscow and Beijing's "common views" on security, among other issues.

Putin and Johnson speak

On Wednesday, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on a call that had been delayed due to domestic troubles in the UK. 

Johnson told Putin that any incursion into Ukraine would be a tragic miscalculation.

"The prime minister expressed his deep concern about Russia's current hostile activity on the Ukrainian border," a spokesperson from Johnson's office said.

"He emphasized the need to find a way forward which respects both Ukraine's territorial integrity and right to self-defence. The prime minister stressed that any further Russian incursion into Ukrainian territory would be a tragic miscalculation."

According to the Kremlin, the pair exchanged detailed views on the "internal" Ukraine crisis and Russia's security demands.

Putin drew attention to "Kyiv's chronic sabotage" of the Minsk agreements and noted NATO's "unwillingness" to respond to Russia's concerns. 

Ahead of the call, the Kremlin ridiculed British politicians for their "stupidity and ignorance."

Biden, Macron vow cooperation on Russia response

President Biden spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday, with the two countries promising to coordinate their response to Russia's military buildup in the region.

Biden and Macron "affirmed their support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," according to the White House. They discussed "ongoing coordination" on diplomacy and potential punitive measures towards Russia if it moves forward with an invasion of Ukraine.

"President Biden and President Macron agreed their teams will stay in close touch, including in consultation with NATO allies and EU partners, on our coordinated and comprehensive approach to managing these issues," the White House added. 

aw, wd/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)