The Obama administration took steps today to support the defenses of US allies in Europe in response to Russia's takeover of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the US was stepping up joint aviation training with Polish forces. The Pentagon also is increasing American participation in NATO's air policing mission in its Baltic countries, he said.
In his remarks, Hagel focused on US diplomatic and aid efforts since Moscow's incursion into Ukrainian territory. He said he'd speak later today with Ukraine's new defense minister; Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen Martin Dempsey spoke to his Russian counterpart earlier in the day. Neither Hagel nor Dempsey mentioned military options.
"I urge continued restraint in the days ahead in order to preserve room for a diplomatic solution," Dempsey told the Senate panel.
While the hearing was supposed to focus on the military's budget, both witnesses quickly addressed events in Ukraine.
Since last weekend, Russian troops have taken control of much of the peninsula in the Black Sea, where Russian speakers are in the majority. Moscow doesn't recognize the Ukrainian leadership that came to power after protesters ousted the country's pro-Russian president last month. It has cited strategic interests as well as the protection of ethnic Russians in making its case for intervention.
Hagel said the US was reaffirming its commitment to allies in Central and Eastern Europe, some of whom spent decades in the last century under Soviet domination. European countries are grappling with their own response to the crisis, fearful about moves reminiscent of Russia's Cold War policy of regional hegemony but equally concerned about damaging trade and energy partnerships vital to their economies.
Details on the new US security efforts weren't immediately available.
The United States assumed control over NATO's air policing duties over Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in January. Belgium previously had the four-month rotating duty.
The mission "not only protects the integrity of NATO airspace, it illustrates the alliance's core function of collective defense," the 28-nation bloc said in a statement at the time.
Regarding Ukraine specifically, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked if the Pentagon would provide Ukraine with arms support in the hypothetical event of a larger Russian invasion of the country.
Such a decision would be for President Barack Obama to make, Hagel responded.
