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Commander of US Army Europe during his visit in Vilnius on Wednesday called on the Russians to lower the anxiety through transparency during upcoming military drills Zapad.
Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, commander of the United States Army Europe, held talks with Lithuanian Minister of Defense Raimundas Karoblis and Chief of the Army Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Zukas, focused on NATO deterrence measures against Russia.
‘We did not think we even needed tanks in Europe anymore, because we saw Russia as a partner. With Russia’s invasion in Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea, their other activities, obviously we realized we need to bring our armor back to Europe for deterrence’ said Ben Hodges adding that the same thing is true for air and missile defense.
Commander of US Army Europe took the opportunity to call on the Russian to lower anxiety during upcoming military drills Zapad.
‘I would encourage the Russians to invite media, invite observers, more than just the minimum required by Vienna protocol, but in a spirit of transparency and stability to invite more transparency for what they are doing and I think that would lower the anxiety’, said Hodges.
He also anticipated that NATO countries will not take ant provocative actions during Russian military drills.
‘Just like NATO forces are always ready, strong, and professional, disciplined, but not in something that would be seen as provocative or mirroring Russian exercise. I think that would be very important’
Sound bite (English), Lieutenant General BEN HODGES, Commanding General of United States Army Europe: I know there is anxiety about the Russian exercises Zapad that will take place, exercises September, deployment begins in August. So I would call on the Russians to lower the anxiety through transparency. For the Russian to invite media to participate, to see that exercises the way the West, the way the NATO invites media to observe everything that we do. I would imagine that nobody here has ever been invited for Russian exercises. So I would encourage the Russians to invite media, invite observers, more than just the minimum required by Vienna protocol, but in a spirit of transparency and stability to invite more transparency for what they are doing and I think that would lower the anxiety.
Cutaway
Sound bite (English), Lieutenant General BEN HODGES, Commanding General of United States Army Europe: Secondly, I anticipate that the nations will want to have a unified posture that is seen as professional, ready, but not provocative. Almost business as usual. Just like NATO forces are always ready, strong, and professional, disciplined, but not in something that would be seen as provocative or mirroring Russian exercise. I think that would be very important.
Sound bite (Lithuanian), JONAS VYTAUTAS ZUKAS, Chief of Lithuanian Army: We increase the number of our soldiers, strengthen our defensive capabilities, broaden military and training infrastructure, improve readiness and coordination with Allies and we train military reserve by performing conscription.
Sound bite (English), Lieutenant General BEN HODGES, Commanding General of United States Army Europe: Three years ago the last American tank in Europe left. We did not think we even needed tanks in Europe anymore, because we saw Russia as a partner. With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea, their other activities, obviously we realized we need to bring our armor back to Europe for deterrence. The same thing is true for air and missile defense. We saw the threat was one thing, now we see how the Russians used UAV for example in Donbass and Syria. So we are having to do what is necessary to address that also.
