US ‘sending 3,000 troops to support European allies’ as Russia-Ukraine crisis deepens and threat of invasion looms

THE United States is reportedly sending 3,000 troops to support European allies as the Russia-Ukraine crisis deepens and invasion threats loom.

is said to be sending around 2,000 soldiers from Fort Bragg, , to and this week, reported.

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A further 1,000 troops are part of a Germany-based infantry Stryker squadron will be sent to Romania, on NATO’s eastern flank closest to .

The moves will hopefully deter Russia from attacking Ukraine, officials told the outlet.

It comes just days after Biden reportedly warned Ukraine's president to "prepare for impact" as Russia could invade within days.

It's understood the US president told Volodymyr Zelensky that a February invasion is now "virtually certain" with more than 120,000 Russian troops massed on the border within striking distance.

A Ukrainian official reportedly told  that the call on Thursday "did not go well" as Zelensky relayed dire warnings from Biden that Moscow "may attempt to occupy" the capital.

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But the White House has hit back at these claims, instead insisting Biden has warned about a potentially imminent invasion "for months".

Emily Horne, of the US National Security Council, tweeted: "This is not true.

"President Biden said that there is a distinct possibility that the Russians could invade Ukraine in February.

"He has previously said this publicly & we have been warning about this for months."

And the White House's official statement after their chat gave a different outlook on the call, focussing on Biden's backing of Ukraine.

"President Biden reaffirmed the readiness of the United States along with its allies and partners to respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine," it reads.

"He also underscored the commitment of the United States to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."

In a tweet, Zelensky said he had a "long phone conversation" with Biden as he thanked the president for his support and revealed the US may offer Ukraine financial help.

"Discussed recent diplomatic efforts on de-escalation and agreed on joint actions for the future," the tweet reads.

"Thanked President @JoeBiden for the ongoing military assistance. Possibilities for financial support to Ukraine were also discussed."

INVASION THREAT LOOMS

It comes as it's feared Moscow could be set to invade Ukraine as soon as February as Western countries square up to Vladimir Putin's war machine.

The Department of Defense has warned that war "could be imminent", with US putting 8,500 troops on alert to deploy at short notice, which Russia said caused it “great concern”.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told a press conference: "We continue to see, including in the last 24 hours, more accumulation of credible combat forces arrayed by the Russians in, again, the western part of their country and in Belarus."

Tensions are hitting boiling point as Moscow continues to ramp up its large-scale military presence in and around the country.

Ukraine is sitting on the brink of all-out war with Russia as 120,000 troops mass on the border and the world waits with bated breath as Putin toughens up his arms with artillery and tanks in the region.

But Western allies are showing the Kremlin will face a tough fight as forces and equipment is being shipped to Ukraine and surrounding Nato nations as the eyes of the globe watch on.

Britain has given Kiev 2,000 shoulder-launched anti-tank weapons and Baltic states followed suit with promises of Javelin anti-tank missiles and Stinger surface to air rockets.

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Nations including the US and UK are discussing deploying thousands more troops to NATO countries in a show of strength against Moscow's ongoing aggression.

It's reported countries such as Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary could be in line to accept around 1,000 personnel each, mimicking forward battle groups already stationed in the Baltic States and Poland.