U.S. puts 8,500 troops on alert to deploy amid Ukraine tensions

Airmen and civilians from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron palletize ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base, in Delaware, U.S. January 21, 2022. U.S. Air Force/Mauricio Campino/Handout via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military on Monday put about 8,500 troops on alert to be ready to deploy to Europe if needed, potentially on very short notice, in the latest effort to reassure jittery NATO allies in the face of a Russian military buildup near Ukraine.

Although the decision did not bolster U.S. support to Ukraine, which is not part of the NATO alliance, it underscored the growing NATO preparations for what Washington and Kyiv believe are Russian moves to mass its forces for a potential invasion of Ukraine.