The U.S. military will be sending dozens of tanks, Bradley armored fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers to allied countries in the Baltics and Eastern Europe in response to Russian actions in the Ukraine, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday.
The equipment, enough to arm one combat brigade,will be positioned in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Romania and Poland, Carter announced at a press conference with U.S. allies in Estonia.
Carter said the equipment will be moved around Europe for training and exercises. The U.S. defense chief also said Washington and its NATO allies will be boosting cyber defense efforts."We must prepare NATO and our allies for cyber challenges, particularly from Russia," Carter said in prepared remarks.
Carter's announcement comes during a week-long tour of Europe.
"We need to explain to those who doubt the value of our NATO commitments that the security of Europe is vital to everything else we hold dear,"
Carter said at a press event with his German counterpart Monday. RELATED: U.S. - Russia military tit for tat raises fears of greater conflict While Carter won't be visiting Russia on this trip, Russian President Vladimir Putin's influence looms over the tour's discussions."
One of [Putin's] stated views is a longing for the past and that's where we have a different perspective on the world and even on Russia's future," he told reporters en route to Germany, in response to a question about whether Putin is a rational actor.
"We'd like to see us all moving forward, Europe moving forward, and that does not seem to be his stated perspective."
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