U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin In Europe To Soothe Ukraine, European Allies After Intel Leaks

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III addresses the media at the 11th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, April 21, 2023. Ministers of defense and senior military officials from nearly 50 nations from around the world gathered to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine and continue close coordination on providing the Ukrainian people with the means necessary to protect themselves against Russia's continued aggression. US Department of Defense  

Politico: Under pressure: Austin seeks to soothe Ukraine, European allies after intel leak 

Documents posted online gave a downbeat assessment of Kyiv’s chances on the battlefield. 

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin faces a daunting task this week as he heads to Germany to host a meeting of international defense chiefs supporting Ukraine: convince Kyiv that U.S. confidence is unbroken after its secret doubts spilled into the open. 

Austin arrived in Europe on Tuesday less than two weeks after the leak of a trove of highly classified military plans rocked the Pentagon. Many of the documents were printouts of top secret slides developed by the Joint Staff to brief senior leaders on the situation in Ukraine. Some included detailed information about the West’s plans to send weapons to Kyiv; others contained sensitive information about America’s efforts to spy on its partners. 

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Update: Austin seeks to stem discord with allies over document leaks (AP)  

WNU Editor: Good luck on soothing U.S. allies in Europe over these intel leaks. There is growing dissension in Europe on the war, and these leaks have only confirmed what the critics have been saying for months.

EU President Says Europe Must ‘Take Action’ Against The US $700 Billion Subsidies Package For American Businesses

FILE PHOTO: European Parliament plenary session in Brussels © Thomson Reuters 

Irish Times/Financial Times: EU must adapt state aid rules in face of US green subsidies, warns commission chief 

Von der Leyen lays out concerns with US Inflation Reduction Act The EU must “simplify and adapt” its rules on state aid in response to the US’s new $369 billion (€351 billion) climate package, which has soured transatlantic ties and sparked fears of a trade war between Brussels and Washington, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday. 

Europe should “adjust our own rules to make it easier for public investments”, Ms von der Leyen said, in her first set of proposals responding to a chorus of demands from EU states to mitigate and counter the US green energy subsidy scheme. 

“The new assertive industrial policy of our competitors requires a structural answer,” she said in a speech focused on the trade row, which EU leaders have warned risked “fracturing” transatlantic unity.  

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WNU Editor: EU President Von der Leyen is not the only European official voicing the need for a response to President Biden's green energy subsidy plan .... US green plan should be 'wake-up call' for EU industry: French minister (France 24). More here .... Germany’s Habeck backs ‘Buy European’ response to US trade threat (Politico). 

EU President Says Europe Must ‘Take Action’ Against The US $700 Billion Subsidies Package For American Businesses  

EU chief says bloc must act over US subsidies plan -- DW 

EU must act over distortions from US climate plan - von der Leyen -- BBC  

EU to adapt state aid schemes in response to U.S. subsidy package -- Reuters  

EU must ‘take action’ against US – von der Leyen -- RT

EU Officials Accuse US Of Profiting From The Ukraine War

High-ranking European officials have blasted Biden for "profiting" off the Ukraine War. REUTERS  

Politico: Europe accuses US of profiting from war  

EU officials attack Joe Biden over sky-high gas prices, weapons sales and trade as Vladimir Putin’s war threatens to destroy Western unity. 

Nine months after invading Ukraine, Vladimir Putin is beginning to fracture the West.  

Top European officials are furious with Joe Biden’s administration and now accuse the Americans of making a fortune from the war, while EU countries suffer.  

“The fact is, if you look at it soberly, the country that is most profiting from this war is the U.S. because they are selling more gas and at higher prices, and because they are selling more weapons,” one senior official told POLITICO.   

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WNU Editor: The cracks are beginning to form in the West.

And as to the bigger question. Who is benefiting from this war? 

It looks like some EU officials have the answer.

EU Officials Accuse US Of Profiting From The Ukraine War 

 'Is Washington still our ally?': EU accuses US of PROFITEERING from Ukraine war through sales of guns and gas and threatens trade war - as top diplomats moan Biden's green subsidies mean European businesses are relocating to US -- Daily Mail  

European officials say US profiting from Ukraine war, call Inflation Reduction Act 'very worrying' -- FOX News  

EU officials slam Biden administration for ‘profiting’ off Ukraine war -- NYPost 

EU Accuses Washington Of Making A Fortune From Ukraine War -- Zero Hedge

U.S. Moves To Counter Growing Opposition In Europe To The Energy Crisis And Support Of Ukraine

Protest against Czech government’s handling of the energy crisis erupt and its support of Ukraine in Prague  

Politico: U.S. races to shore up European support for Ukraine strategy  

Some countries with populations that support Russia are blaming Washington for rising energy costs. 

U.S. officials are increasingly worried about keeping their allies on board with Washington’s approach to countering Russia in Ukraine as economic pressures grow across Europe. 

American officials based in Europe are issuing internal warnings to Washington colleagues that some countries with populations that support Russia are growing angry over sanctions and blame the U.S. for rising costs. 

That sentiment could put pressure on European leaders to pull back support for the sanctions, officials said in internal reports circulated throughout the administration in recent days and viewed by POLITICO.  

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WNU Editor: U.S. officials have cause to be "worried" on keeping European allies onboard. There are no solutions to resolve the energy crisis, and the economic and social costs in Europe are starting to impact everyone. 

The protests are also growing, and European governments have been elected out of office. Another reason why some EU politicians are now hesitating to commit even more resources to Ukraine.

The best way to resolve all of these problems is to end the war. But I see no serious commitment from any the participants in this war to go down this path, and a growing number of Europeans are beginning to realize that.

US Army Announces The Fresh Deployment Of Three Brigades And A Division Headquarters To Europe.

U.S. soldiers assigned to 3rd Armored Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, maneuver an M1A2 Abrams tank at Pabradė Training Area, Lithuania, Oct. 23, 2022. (Sgt. Lianne M. Hirano/Army) 

Army Times: Army announces next three brigades deploying to Europe 

The Army announced fresh deployments for three brigades and a division headquarters Wednesday afternoon, revealing which units will take up positions in Europe as part of the long-running Atlantic Resolve deterrence mission. 

* The 4th Infantry Division’s headquarters element will depart Fort Carson, Colorado, to replace the 1st Infantry Division’s leaders as the two-star headquarters overseeing the U.S. portion of the NATO-led mission. 

* 4th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade will deploy with their division headquarters and replace their counterparts from the 1st Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade out of Fort Riley, Kansas. 

* The 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team will replace the Fort Hood, Texas-based division’s 3rd ABCT. The “Black Jack Brigade” recently completed another Atlantic Resolve rotation in 2020, according to a division press release. 

* The 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, stationed at Hunter Army Airfield near Savannah, Georgia, will swap with the 1st Armored Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade. 

The units’ commanders expressed their eagerness for the mission in statements accompanying the releases.  

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WNU editor: Another sign that the US arms buildup near the borders of Russia and Ukraine is becoming a permanent feature.

Are We On The Verge Of A U.S. - Europe Trade War?

Politico: Scholz and Macron threaten trade retaliation against Biden  

France and Germany want to negotiate with Washington about unfair competition — but they are ready to hit back if necessary. 

BERLIN/PARIS — After publicly falling out, Olaf Scholz and Emmanuel Macron have found something they agree on: mounting alarm over unfair competition from the U.S. and the potential need for Europe to hit back. 

The German chancellor and the French president discussed their joint concerns during nearly three-and-a-half hours of talks over a lunch of fish, wine and Champagne in Paris on Wednesday. 

They agreed that recent American state subsidy plans represent market-distorting measures that aim to convince companies to shift their production to the U.S., according to people familiar with their discussions. And that is a problem they want the European Union to address.  

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Update #1: Biden Hits Fresh Bumps in Plan to Smooth EU Trade Ties (Financial Post/Bloomberg)  

Update #2: EU keeps its shield up in the US trade war (Politico)  

WNU Editor: Washington will counter by saying that the value of the Euro has collapsed in relation to the US dollar, thereby giving European goods an export advantage. 

So why all the threats? 

I see all of this as posturing and a diversion from the real crisis in Europe which is the energy crisis, the cost of living, rising unemployment, and inflation.

Europe Lashes Out At The U.S. Federal Reserve For "Bringing Us To A World Recession"

Zero Hedge: Here Comes The Open Revolt: A Reeling Europe Lashes Out At The Fed For "Bringing Us To A World Recession" 

As a result of the Fed's relentless tightening blitz, which on November 2 will have hiked rates by 75bps on four occasions in just 96 trading days, the fastest tightening campaign since Volcker, both US capital markets (the S&P 500 is down -24%, for the 4th worst year on record, only 1931, 1974, and 2002 were worse; and 10Y TSYs are down -17% for the worst year on record... 1987 second worse, and bonds were down -10%) and the US economy have been left reeling. 

However, the damage in the US - whose economy is relatively isolated from the knock-on (or is that out) effects of the soaring global reserve currency - are nothing compared to the devastation unleashed by the Fed in the form of the soaring dollar and exploding interest rates. And yet the outcry against either the Soros Biden administration, or chair Powell has been relatively muted (excluding the occasional scathing oped in China's Global Times and fake populist rage-tweet by everyone's favorite "native American", Liz Warren).  

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WNU Editor: I am surprised that European leaders are waking up to the fact that the U.S. is protecting it;s own interests. After-all, Assistant US secretary of state Victoria Nuland was very clear a few years ago on Washington views when it comes to the EU ... ‘Fuck the EU’: US diplomat Victoria Nuland's phonecall leaked (The Guardian).

Are More U.S. Forces Headed To Europe?

U.S. Army Soldiers with 1st Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, provide support by fire during a multinational training event for exercise Puma 2 with Battle Group Poland at Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland on June 14, 2018 as part of Saber Strike 18. This year's exercise, which runs from June 3-15, tests allies and partners from 19 countries on their ability work together to deter aggression in the region and improve each unit's ability to perform their designated mission. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Hubert D. Delany III /22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)  

19FortyFive: Russia’s War in Ukraine Means More U.S. Forces Are Headed to Europe 

On June 29, the Biden administration announced that in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was broadly expanding U.S. military forces based permanently or on a rotating basis in Europe. 

This comes as eastern European NATO member states request a more robust force capable of outright defeating a Russian invasion, not merely serving as sacrificial ‘trip-wires’.

Prior to that statement, Putin’s aggression had already spurred Washington to increase U.S. military personnel in Europe from 80,000 to 100,000 (mostly non-combat) troops, some of whom will now be staying in the region in one fashion or another (A detailed yet simplified outline of the U.S. force structure in Europe can be found below). 

The new force structure may also contribute to ambitious plans by NATO to increase its so-called high readiness forces from 40,000 to 300,000 troops.  

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WNU Editor: The US Congress definitely wants more forces in Europe .... Congress wants more troops in Europe as war in Ukraine drags on (Defense News).

President Biden Announces New Major US Military Deployments Across Europe

 

The Guardian: US to increase military forces across Europe, Joe Biden announces 

President says ‘US and its allies are going to step up’ as he arrives for summit of Nato leaders in Madrid 

Joe Biden has announced that the US will increase its military forces across Europe with more land, sea and air deployments, as he gathered with Nato leaders for a two-day summit in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Arriving at the meeting in Madrid, the US president announced the stationing of a brigade of 3,000 combat troops in Romania, two squadrons of F-35 fighters in the UK and two navy destroyers in Spain.  

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WNU Editor: The Kremlin will view these US military deployments as the next step for the U.S. to get directly involved in the Ukraine war. 

President Biden Announces New Major US Military Deployments Across Europe  

US boosting military presence in Europe amid Russia threat -- AP 

Biden dials up US power in NATO expansion -- France 24  

Biden sends more ships, fighter jets and troops to Europe -- Politico  

Biden: US to Bolster European Military Presence -- VOA  

Biden announces plans to bolster US force presence in Europe -- The Hill  

Biden ramps up US military deployments across Europe -- FOX News 

Biden announces new U.S. military deployments in Europe -- Axios  

Biden Vows Putin Will Get 'NATO-ization of Europe' -- Newsweek

The US Will Announce New Long-Term Military Deployments Across Europe In Response To The Threat From Russia

Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief of the National Guard Bureau, talks with a member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Jun. 12, 2022. Germany was Hokanson’s second stop on a five-nation trip to recognize and strengthen National Guard relationships with European allies and partners.  

AFP: US To Announce 'Long-term' Military Reinforcements In Europe: Official 

The United States will announce new long-term military deployments across Europe in response to the threat from Russia while at the NATO summit in Madrid, a US official said Tuesday. 

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said there would be "specific announcements tomorrow on land, sea and air of additional force posture commitments over the long term". 

The forces will be focused on the Baltics, Balkans and NATO's eastern flank bordering Russia, he said.  

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WNU Editor: I expect a lot of these type of announcements in the coming weeks and months .... Biden announces new measures to bolster NATO security against Russian threat (The Hill).

There Are 100,000 US Troops In Europe

U.S. troops deploy for Europe from Pope Army Airfield at Fort Bragg, N.C., on Feb. 3. Allison Joyce/AFP  

Washington Times: As U.S. troops reach 100K in Europe, questions mount over endgame, long-term effects 

Pressure grows on Europe to bolster its military spending ahead of NATO summit The number of American troops in Europe has risen sharply in the four months since Russia invaded Ukraine, from about 65,000 in mid-February to 100,000 today. 

That increase, one of the most rapid U.S. military buildups on the continent in the post-Cold War era, has no clear end date or any obvious metrics to determine when troops could come home or be repositioned to other theaters such as the Indo-Pacific. 

Instead, their mission is to deter further Russian aggression and prevent any attack on NATO territory. That goal will prove difficult to measure and could justify a years-long mission as Russia and Ukraine settle into a slow, bloody war of attrition in the Donbas.

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WNU Editor: the above Washington Times report says US troops are reaching the 100,000 number in Europe. But this number was reached in the middle of March .... 100K US service members in Europe amid Russia-Ukraine war: NATO secretary (FOX News).

US Seeks Full Reset With Saudi Arabia

US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (AFP)

CNN: US seeks full reset with Saudi Arabia, effectively moving on from the murder of Jamal Khashoggi 

(CNN)Senior US officials have conveyed to Saudi Arabia that the US is prepared to move forward with a "reset" of the relationship, and effectively move on from the 2018 murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in order to repair ties with the key Middle East ally, senior US officials tell CNN. 

The planning for a reset is a dramatic about-face for President Joe Biden, who came into office vowing to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" over Khashoggi's murder. 

His administration also released an intelligence report last year that directly accused Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of orchestrating Khashoggi's killing. 

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WNU Editor: A lot of people are unhappy with this White House policy reset .... Biden's message to Middle East journalists: You are on your own (Middle East Eye). 

US Seeks Full Reset With Saudi Arabia  

Biden—Amid Soaring Gas Prices—Wants ‘Reset' Of Rocky Relationship With Saudis, Report Claims -- Forbes  

‘Desperate’ US ready to ‘reset’ relationship with Saudi Arabia: report -- NYPost  

White House Informs Saudi Arabia: US Ready To 'Move On' From Khashoggi Murder -- Zero Hedge

Washington Says It Is Likely It Will Keep 100,000 Troops In Europe For The Foreseeable Future

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division walk to their aircraft at Pope Army Airfield, N.C. Feb. 8, 2022.  (U.S. Army photo Sgt. Hunter Garcia)  

CNN: US likely to keep 100,000 troops in Europe for foreseeable future in face of Russian threat, US officials say 

(CNN)The US is expected to keep 100,000 troops stationed in Europe for the foreseeable future unless Russia escalates and threatens Sweden and Finland or NATO members, according to multiple US officials. 

The numbers could temporarily increase if NATO carries out more military exercises in the region, and the US could add additional bases in Europe if the security environment changes, the officials added.

The plans are being considered following Thursday's meeting of NATO's military chiefs in Brussels, the officials said. The military chiefs are making the recommendations to a NATO defense ministers meeting planned for June, and NATO leaders including President Joe Biden will meet in Madrid at the end of that month.  

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WNU Editor: I would not be surprised if this 100,000 number actually increases in the coming months.

The Pentagon Wants More U.S. Troops Deployed To Europe

Gen. Tod D. Wolters, Commander, U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, exits a Change of Command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Aug. 20, 2021. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Tate Cardinal)  

Daily Mail: Top US commander in Europe says the U.S. will need MORE than the 102,000 American troops already stationed in Europe and Putin 'unsuccessfully' fired multiple hypersonic missiles to 'strike fear' into the hearts of Ukrainian people 

* Gen Tod Wolters, head of Europe Command, appeared before senators Tuesday 

* He said the U.S. may have to send more troops to the region to bolster defenses 

* The U.S. deployment has already grown from 60,000 to 102,000 

* And he confirmed that Russia had fired multiple hypersonic weapons in Ukraine 

* But, he added, that they had failed to 'put fear in the hearts of the enemy' 

The top American commander in Europe on Tuesday said he believed the U.S. will have to add to the 102,000 troops in the region to bolster defenses against Vladimir Putin. 

And Gen. Tod Wolters told a Senate committee hearing that Russia had used multiple hypersonic weapons in Ukraine but that they had failed in their effort to spread fear among Ukrainians. 

The head of Europe Command also admitted that there could have been an intelligence gap that allowed Washington to overestimate Russia's military capabilities and underestimate the power of Ukrainian resistance. 

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The Pentagon Wants More U.S. Troops Deployed To Europe  

More U.S. troops may be needed in Europe, top general predicts -- Politico  

Top General Believes US Will 'Still Need More' Troops in Europe after Ukraine War -- Military.com 

Top general says Pentagon should consider more troops in Europe -- UPI  

US commander on American military presence in Europe after Ukraine conflict: 'We're going to still need more' -- FOX News

100,000 U.S. Troops Are Now Stationed In Europe

Axios: Where 100,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe 

President Biden will meet Friday with U.S. troops stationed in Poland, a key NATO ally currently housing 10,500 of the 100,000 American service members now deployed across Europe.  

Why it matters: Russia invaded Ukraine with a force estimated at 190,000. The last time the U.S. had 100,000 troops deployed in Europe was 2005, during the early years of the Global War on Terror, according to a history of U.S. force posture provided by U.S. European Command. 

* NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week the alliance must "reset" as a result of the "new security reality" created by Russia's invasion and its military integration with Belarus. 

 * What that reset looks like will be a top priority when Biden attends an emergency NATO summit in Brussels on Thursday.  

By the numbers: After an initial post-World War II demobilization, the number of U.S. troops in Europe surged from 97,000 in 1950 to over 450,000 in 1957. 

* That was the first of two major Cold War buildups, with the second peaking at about 340,000 troops in 1987. 

* In 2018, the number of U.S. troops in Europe bottomed out at around 65,000, the posture history shows.  

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WNU Editor: This 100,000 total does not include the presence of an aircraft carrier strike group in the Mediterranean and other naval groups.

President Biden Deploys More U.S. Soldiers To Poland

 

Politico: U.S. sending 3,000 more troops to Poland amid fresh Ukraine invasion warnings 

Officials in the U.S. and the U.K. are telling their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. The U.S. is sending 3,000 more troops to Poland as the Biden administration issued new warnings that Russia was poised to invade Ukraine at any moment. 

Washington and London, meanwhile, are urging their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. 

The alarms were the most strident to date of a crisis that began last fall as Russia significantly built up troops along the Ukrainian border, and they came as diplomatic efforts to convince Russian President Vladimir Putin to abandon thoughts of invasion appear to, at best, have stalled out.  

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Update #1: Biden orders 3,000 more troops to Poland amid Ukraine crisis -- AP  

Update #2: Biden deploys extra 3,000 troops as White House warns it won’t rescue civilians in Ukraine if Russia invades -- The Independent  

WNU Editor: US Air Force units are also scrambling to eastern Europe .... Missile-Laden F-16s Head To Romania Amid Fears Of Imminent War In Ukraine (Warzone). More here .... Fully Armed Grim Reaper F-15 Eagles Arrive In Poland In Response To Russian Build-Up (Warzone), and here .... U.S. Jets Deployed to Poland, Romania Are ‘Prepared to Scramble’ in Support of NATO Air Policing (Air Force Magazine).

President Biden Takes A Swipe At EU Allies Behind Closed Doors. Says 'Scholz No Merkel, Macron No De Gaulle'

© AFP 2022 / SAUL LOEB 

NBC: Navigating Ukraine, Biden offers frank assessments of unfamiliar allies in private  

Biden has riffed about some of his counterparts involved in coordinating a response to Russian aggression, according to people who have heard him use the descriptions. 

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has for months grappled with differences within the Western alliance while navigating one of the trickiest foreign policy challenges to emerge since he took office: Russia’s threat to invade Ukraine. 

While administration officials and outside experts say the U.S. and its allies are more closely aligned now than even just weeks ago, Biden has riffed during private meetings about some of his counterparts involved in this crisis, according to people who have heard him use the descriptions in closed-door sessions. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is no Angela Merkel, Biden has said, according to the sources. He’s described British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s demeanor as blustery, they said. And French President Emmanuel Macron, Biden has said, wants to be Charles de Gaulle, the sources said. 

As for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Biden has described him as "a guy with nukes and no friends," according to people who’ve heard him use the description. 

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Update: 'Scholz No Merkel, Macron No De Gaulle': Biden Said to Take Swipes at EU Allies Behind Closed Doors (Sputnik) 

WNU Editor: These leaks are never helpful. But the US President is being sidelined .... Biden humiliated as he's 'thrown under bus' by Scholz and Macron during Russia talks (Express).

White House Says Vice President Kamala Harris Will Travel To Europe To Rally Allies Amid The Ukraine Crisis

The White House announced on Wednesday that Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to the Munich Security Conference where she will meet with 'allies and partners' 

Reuters: Exclusive-U.S. VP Harris to attend Munich Conference, rally allies to defuse Ukraine crisis 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kamala Harris will hold a series of in-person meetings with U.S. allies and partners at the Munich Security Conference next week seeking to deter Russian aggression in Ukraine, a trip that serves as a major diplomatic test of her vice presidency. 

A senior administration official said Harris will deliver a speech, articulate U.S. policy at a number of public engagements and assert America's commitment to its NATO allies. 

Leaders of Germany, the EU and NATO will attend and Harris is not expected to meet leaders from Russia and China. 

The conference, launched by Western nations at the height of the Cold War to address military conflicts, is expected to take place on Feb 18-20 in Munich, amid a high-stakes conflict over Ukraine between Western nations and Russia.  

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WNU Editor: I have trouble visualizing Vice President Kamala Harris rallying our rallies in Europe. If the situation was so dire, the person who should be going is President Biden. 

White House Says Vice President Kamala Harris Will Travel To Europe To Rally Allies Amid The Ukraine Crisis  

Harris will head to Germany next week for talks on Ukraine crisis: What we know -- USA Today/AP  

Harris to attend Munich Security Conference this month -- The Hill  

Harris to attend Munich Security Conference later this month amid Russia-Ukraine tensions -- CNN  

VP Harris to attend high-profile Munich Security Conference amid Ukraine crisis -- Washington Times

Planes Bring Elite U.S. Troops To Poland

 

Reuters: Planes bring U.S. troops to Poland, with most expected on Monday 

RZESZOW, Poland (Reuters) - Two U.S. military planes could be seen landing at a Polish airport on Monday morning and more were expected later in the day, bringing the bulk of the extra troops that President Joe Biden ordered to Europe last week over the Ukraine crisis. 

Biden has ordered nearly 3,000 troops to move to eastern Europe to protect the eastern flank of NATO from the possibility of a Russian attack on Ukraine. 

Russia, which has deployed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian frontier, denies Western accusations that it is planning an invasion. 

Around 1,700 service members, mainly from the 82nd Airborne Division based in Fort Bragg, are due to deploy to Poland, while 1,000 troops based in Germany will head east to Romania.  

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Planes Bring Elite U.S. Troops To Poland  

U.S. airborne infantry troops arrive in Poland amid tensions -- AP  

Dozens of elite US troops land in Poland -- The Hill  

82nd Airborne troops begin to arrive in Poland -- Stars and Stripes  

American firepower lands in Poland as Senators call Ukraine tensions 'Europe's biggest threat since 1945': First of 3,000 troops and armored vehicles fill bases after China backed Putin in NATO spat -- Daily Mail

So Much For The Media Narrative That The U.S. Is Dedicated To Helping Europe Confront Its Natural Gas Energy Crisis

OilPrice.com: Democrat Senators Are Trying To Limit U.S. LNG Exports For All The Wrong Reasons 

* A group of Democrat Senators has just sent a letter pleading for the Biden Administration to limit U.S. LNG exports while the Department of Energy conducts a review of the exports and their impact on domestic prices. 

* The appeal comes at a time when Europe is being crippled by sky-high energy prices, with U.S. LNG potentially providing a lifeline to help keep the lights on in the region. 

* Many of the Senators which have signed off on this letter have campaigned against pipelines within their states, forcing them to import natural gas from abroad. 

Just as U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) serves as the main cog in helping keep the lights on and homes heated in Europe in this windless winter, a group of Democratic senators sends a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm urging her and the Biden administration to take action to limit U.S. LNG exports. 

In their letter, these 10 senators "...urge the Department to conduct a review of LNG exports and their impact on domestic prices and the public interest, and develop a plan to ensure natural gas remains affordable for American households. 

Until such a plan is completed, the Department should consider halting permit approvals of U.S. LNG export facilities."  

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WNU Editor: These same senators killed pipelines and limited energy projects, so it is fitting to see how the consequences of their policy actions are affecting both U.S. and European energy security.

A prediction. 

In an election year the Biden administration is not going to green-light natural gas shipments to Europe if it means higher prices for U.S. consumers. They will export some, but not enough to impact Europe's energy needs.