U.S. troops deploy in Bulgaria as Mattis meets NATO in Brussels

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis briefs the media during a NATO defence ministers meeting at the Alliance's headquarters in Brussels, Belgium February 15, 2017. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir

SOFIA (Reuters) - U.S. troops deployed in Bulgaria on Wednesday and armoured vehicles and heavy equipment are to arrive by the end of the week under a planned NATO operation to support its Eastern European allies, the Bulgarian defence ministry said.

The U.S. deployment at the joint U.S.-Bulgarian military base at Novo Selo in the east of the Black Sea country is part of operation Atlantic Resolve, aimed at showing Moscow Washington's commitment to its allies, the ministry said.