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 The United States has showed no interest in pursuing military
options following the Russian intervention in Crimea. The biggest
step the Pentagon had taken so far was to cut off military exchanges
with Russia on Monday.
General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,
told a Senate hearing he had directed the U.S. military's European
Command to "consult and plan within the construct of the North
Atlantic Council" but stressed the intent was to stabilize the
situation.
"Obviously we want to provide NATO's leaders with options that
stabilize and not escalate tensions in the Ukraine," Dempsey said.
Dempsey said he spoke with his Russian counterpart on Wednesday and
urged restraint in the days ahead "in order to preserve room for a
diplomatic solution."
Russia and the West are locked in the most serious battle since the
end of the Cold War for influence in Ukraine, a former Soviet
republic with historic ties to Moscow that is a major commodities
exporter and strategic link between East and West.
Ukraine says Russia has occupied Crimea, where its Black Sea fleet
is based, provoking an international outcry and sharp falls in
financial markets on Monday, though they have since stabilized.
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, who aimed to speak with Ukraine's
defense minister later on Wednesday, said the United States would
boost training with Poland's air force. A U.S. defense official said
there are about 10 U.S. Air Force personnel in Poland to support
rotations of U.S. aircraft, including F-16 fighter jets, for
training.
It was still unclear how the United States would boost training but
one option would be to provide additional aircraft, the U.S.
official said.
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Hagel also said the United States would step up its participation in
NATO's 10-year-old air policing mission in skies over the Baltic
states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The duties rotate among NATO members and the United States took over
air policing duties from Belgium in January, providing four F-15
aircraft through May, which are on call to help respond to any
violations of Baltic airspace.
The U.S. defense official said the Pentagon, in a response to a
request from Baltic allies, aimed to provide additional aircraft
during the current rotation.
"Across the administration, our efforts ... (are) focused on
de-escalating crisis, supporting the new Ukrainian government with
economic assistance and reaffirming our commitments to allies in
Central and Eastern Europe," Hagel said.
(Reporting by Phil Stewart and David Alexander; editing by Andrew
Hay)
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