An official website of the United States Government 
Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov

.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Biden Announces Changes in U.S. Force Posture in Europe

You have accessed part of a historical collection on defense.gov. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function. Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions.

President Joe Biden announced moves that will enlarge the U.S. troop presence in Europe and strengthen the NATO alliance.

Biden made the announcement at the beginning of the NATO Summit in Madrid today following a welcome from NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. 

Two men sit in chairs and speak to each other.
NATO Discussion
President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speak at the beginning of the Madrid Summit in Spain, June 29, 2022. Biden announced changes in U.S. force posture in Europe to counter Russian aggression.
Credit: NATO photo
VIRIN: 220629-O-D0439-001

The move belies efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to shatter the Trans-Atlantic alliance. "NATO is strong, united, and the steps we're taking during this summit are going to further augment our collective strength," Biden said. "To that end, today, I'm announcing the United States will enhance our force posture in Europe to respond to the change [in the] security environment, as well as strengthening our collective security." 

The president's announcement comes on the heels of a surge of 20,000 U.S. service members to Europe to defend alliance countries in the face of Putin's unprovoked and unnecessary war on Ukraine. There are now more than 100,000 U.S. service members serving in Europe with many along the eastern front of the alliance.  

Two armored military vehicles drive down a dirt road and kick up dust in a field.
On the Move
M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles from the 1st Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division maneuver towards a situational-training exercise lane at Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, Jun. 16, 2022. The 3/4 ABCT is among other units assigned to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe that works alongside NATO allies and regional security partners.
Credit: Army Sgt. Tara Fajardo Arteaga, Army National Guard
VIRIN: 220616-Z-KT633-1118

The changes the president announced have been made in close consultation with allies and will be made over the coming months. 

John Kirby, strategic communications coordinator at the National Security Council, said the move comes after President Biden has worked for several months to shore up NATO's eastern flank.  

"Just since the invasion itself, he ordered the deployment or extension of over 20,000 additional forces to Europe, in response to the crisis, across all domains — air, land, maritime, cyber space — the whole swath... of U.S. military capabilities," Kirby said. 

The Madrid Summit must deal with a fundamentally changed security environment, and Biden's announcement is part and parcel of that. The president’s moves "are reflective of the United States government's recognition that the security environment has changed and, in particular, in the NATO [area of responsibility] that the Eastern countries are facing a heightened threat from a Russian leadership that has shown itself willing and capable of launching military attacks on bordering countries," said Celeste A. Wallander, the Defense Department's assistant secretary for international security affairs. 

Two men smile at each other.
NATO Greeting
President Joe Biden and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speak at the beginning of the Madrid Summit in Spain, June 29, 2022. Biden announced changes in U.S. force posture in Europe to counter Russian aggression.
Credit: NATO photo
VIRIN: 220629-O-D0439-002A

At the summit, Biden said he will increase from four to six the number of U.S. destroyers based at Rota Naval Base, Spain. "In Poland, we're going to establish a permanent headquarters of the U.S. 5th Army Corps and strengthen NATO interoperability across the entire eastern flank," he said.  

The Army's V Corps headquarters will be a forward command post, an Army garrison headquarters, and a field support battalion, said DOD officials traveling with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, who is also attending the summit. The forces will improve command and control capabilities, interoperability with NATO, and management of prepositioned equipment. 

Poland has been a steadfast ally and enabler of many of the alliance's moves, officials said. The United States will also maintain the substantial rotational force presence in Poland, including an armored brigade combat team, a combat aviation brigade element, and a division headquarters element. This enables DOD to deploy combat forces up and down the eastern flank, officials said. 

In Romania, the United States will position a rotational brigade combat team. This additional brigade will also maintain the ability to deploy subordinate elements. The U.S. will also enhance its rotational deployments in the Baltic republics. These include armored, aviation, air defense and special operations forces. 

Service members stand on the flight deck next to a military aircraft at night.
Night Operations
An MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, attached to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepares for flight operations aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge during Exercise BALTOPS 22 in the Baltic Sea, Jun. 12, 2022. BALTOPS 22, led by U.S. Naval forces Europe-Africa and executed by Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO, strengthens combined response capabilities critical to preserving freedom of navigation and security in the Baltic Sea.
Credit: Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Parker
VIRIN: 220612-N-TP544-1002A

The U.S. military will also maintain a persistent, heel-to-toe presence in the region and will intensify training with Baltic allies to maintain combat-credible capabilities, officials said. 

Biden also announced deployment of two additional F-35 squadrons to RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. These fifth-generation fighters will add to the air support for NATO forces throughout Europe. 

The president said he will also deploy additional air defense, logistics and engineer assets in Germany and add air defense capabilities to forces in Italy. 

Two service members smile as they talk to each other.
Sharing a Laugh
A soldier assigned to the 1st Armor Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, shares a laugh with an Armed Forces of Ukraine soldier during the drivers’ training portion of the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier maintenance course at Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany, Jun. 2, 2022. Instruction for the course is provided by the U.S. as part of a security assistance package.
Credit: Army Sgt. Spencer Rhodes
VIRIN: 220602-Z-EG775-088

These changes come on the heels of deployments made since Putin invaded Ukraine and directly challenged the rules-based infrastructure that has served the world since World War II. The U.S. response included sending airborne forces from Italy to the eastern flank, Stryker units to the front-line states, Patriot batteries to Slovakia and Poland, and F-15s from the United Kingdom to Poland. 

In addition, Austin placed thousands of U.S. troops designated for NATO's Rapid Reaction Force on heightened alert for possible deployment to Europe. 

Related Stories