Russia has strongly criticized the United States over plans to expand its military presence near Russian borders, warning that such a move would heighten tensions across Europe. The reaction came after Washington announced plans to deploy additional American troops to Poland.
Speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said increasing US troop numbers in Eastern Europe would be unacceptable for Moscow. She argued that reducing the American military presence on the continent would be a more sensible step toward restoring balance and stability in Europe’s security environment.
Zakharova accused NATO of creating an “imbalanced” security situation through its continued military expansion and policies aimed at strengthening the alliance’s eastern flank. She warned that sending more US forces closer to Russia would place them within striking range and could force Moscow to respond with what she described as “military-technical measures.”
According to Zakharova, further NATO militarization risks pushing Europe toward a dangerous and potentially “suicidal” confrontation. Russia has repeatedly voiced concerns over NATO’s activities near its borders, especially since the start of the Ukraine conflict.
Currently, around 10,000 US troops are stationed in Poland, mostly on a rotational basis, while approximately 80,000 American personnel remain deployed throughout Europe. Poland, a key NATO member and one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters, shares a border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region on the Baltic Sea.
Last week, US President Donald Trump announced plans to send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. The move followed reports that the Pentagon would postpone the rotation of about 4,000 troops, a delay that Vice President J.D. Vance later described as routine.
Trump has often criticized NATO allies for not contributing enough to defense spending and recently confirmed the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany amid disagreements with Berlin over the Iran conflict.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained that Russia has no intention of attacking NATO countries unless provoked. However, Moscow continues to blame NATO’s eastward expansion for escalating tensions and fueling the conflict in Ukraine. Russian intelligence chief Sergey Naryshkin also claimed NATO is effectively preparing for a major military confrontation in Eastern Europe.