Cebu_4_2
3rd June 2014, 05:08 AM
Obama Arrives in Europe, Urges Congress to Back 'European Reassurance Initiative'
WARSAW - President Barack Obama is urging Congress to support a $1 billion initiative to boost U.S. military activity in Europe, the White House said Tuesday, as the president kicked off a four-day trip to the continent.
The White House added that the U.S. is reviewing its military presence in Europe as a result of Russia's intervention in Ukraine.
The announcement came as Obama arrived in Warsaw Tuesday morning, where he was met by President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland.
http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_23/483216/140603-obama-poland-cover-6a_784d39eec8a3c52782ecb43b717360e7.nbcnews-ux-640-400.jpg
KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters
With an F-16 fighter in the background, U.S. President Barack Obama makes remarks upon his arrival in Warsaw June 3, 2014. Obama is visiting Warsaw, Brussels, Paris and Normandy this week where he is expected to elaborate on the U.S. commitment to counter Russian moves against Ukraine and reassure nervous allies the United States has their backs. After a brief greeting with Polish and American troops and a tour of F-16 fighter jets, Obama and his Polish host spoke briefly about their security cooperation and the pall that events in Ukraine have cast on the region.
"As friends and allies we stand united together and forever," Komorowski said.
Obama said he was starting his visit in Warsaw because America's commitment to the security of Poland and its allies "is sacrosanct," alluding to additional measures to increase the U.S. commitment to Poland's security.
http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_23/483246/140603-us-army-poland-6a-story_fdf2765e16145da5891337094811c8cc.nbcnews-ux-640-440.jpg KACPER PEMPEL / Reuters, file
Captain Tomasz Neuman, right, company commander of Polish 6 Airborne Brigade, and Captain Tadeusz Borawski, company commander of the U.S. Army's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, talk after participating in joint training exercises at the Land Forces Training Centre in northwest Poland on May 1. The White House said Obama will call on Congress to support a "European Reassurance Initiative" of up to $1 billion to increase U.S. military rotations on the continent, plus boost exercises, training and the responsiveness of U.S. forces to reinforce NATO.
"These efforts will not come at the expense of other defense priorities, such as our commitment to the Asia Pacific rebalance," the statement said.
The effort would involve increased participation by the U.S. Navy in NATO naval force deployments, including "more persistent deployments" to the Black and Baltic seas, the White House added.
Reuters contributed to this report.
WARSAW - President Barack Obama is urging Congress to support a $1 billion initiative to boost U.S. military activity in Europe, the White House said Tuesday, as the president kicked off a four-day trip to the continent.
The White House added that the U.S. is reviewing its military presence in Europe as a result of Russia's intervention in Ukraine.
The announcement came as Obama arrived in Warsaw Tuesday morning, where he was met by President Bronislaw Komorowski of Poland.
http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_23/483216/140603-obama-poland-cover-6a_784d39eec8a3c52782ecb43b717360e7.nbcnews-ux-640-400.jpg
KEVIN LAMARQUE / Reuters
With an F-16 fighter in the background, U.S. President Barack Obama makes remarks upon his arrival in Warsaw June 3, 2014. Obama is visiting Warsaw, Brussels, Paris and Normandy this week where he is expected to elaborate on the U.S. commitment to counter Russian moves against Ukraine and reassure nervous allies the United States has their backs. After a brief greeting with Polish and American troops and a tour of F-16 fighter jets, Obama and his Polish host spoke briefly about their security cooperation and the pall that events in Ukraine have cast on the region.
"As friends and allies we stand united together and forever," Komorowski said.
Obama said he was starting his visit in Warsaw because America's commitment to the security of Poland and its allies "is sacrosanct," alluding to additional measures to increase the U.S. commitment to Poland's security.
http://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_23/483246/140603-us-army-poland-6a-story_fdf2765e16145da5891337094811c8cc.nbcnews-ux-640-440.jpg KACPER PEMPEL / Reuters, file
Captain Tomasz Neuman, right, company commander of Polish 6 Airborne Brigade, and Captain Tadeusz Borawski, company commander of the U.S. Army's 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, talk after participating in joint training exercises at the Land Forces Training Centre in northwest Poland on May 1. The White House said Obama will call on Congress to support a "European Reassurance Initiative" of up to $1 billion to increase U.S. military rotations on the continent, plus boost exercises, training and the responsiveness of U.S. forces to reinforce NATO.
"These efforts will not come at the expense of other defense priorities, such as our commitment to the Asia Pacific rebalance," the statement said.
The effort would involve increased participation by the U.S. Navy in NATO naval force deployments, including "more persistent deployments" to the Black and Baltic seas, the White House added.
Reuters contributed to this report.