Biden approves 3,000 reservists for active duty in Europe.

President Joe Biden has taken a significant step by authorizing the Pentagon to order up to 3,000 reserve troops to be ready for deployment to Europe. This decision comes as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which has been providing combat-credible forces to Europe since 2014 in response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.

In his order, President Biden stated that augmenting the active Armed Forces of the United States is necessary for the effective conduct of Operation Atlantic Resolve in and around the United States European Command’s area of responsibility.

While it’s not immediately clear when the reservists will be deployed, this authorization marks the first time that Operation Atlantic Resolve has been designated as a contingency operation.

Supporting NATO’s Eastern Flank

President Biden’s executive order reaffirms the unwavering support and commitment to the defense of NATO’s eastern flank in the wake of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war on Ukraine. This move demonstrates the United States’ dedication to collective security.

Force Posture Levels Remain Unchanged

According to the order, the deployed units cannot exceed a total of 3,000 members at any given time, with up to 450 members being from the Individual Ready Reserve. These reservists will augment the existing forces in Europe and may take over tasks currently performed by active-duty troops.

The U.S. European Command will utilize this new authority to maintain its commitment to NATO’s collective security. Importantly, this mobilization will not change the current force-posture levels in Europe.

Cluster Bombs Arrive in Ukraine

In 2022, the Biden administration enhanced the U.S. force posture in Europe by adding 20,000 additional U.S. forces, bringing the total to 100,000 military personnel. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the United States has provided over $40 billion in security assistance to Ukraine.

Furthermore, the controversial cluster bombs that the Biden administration announced it would send to Ukraine have now arrived. These cluster munitions, when fired, release small bombs (bomblets) over a wide area to strike multiple targets simultaneously.