Joe Biden has approved the more US troops to Poland and Germany

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President Joe Biden has approved the deployment of thousands more US troops to Poland and Germany in the coming days amid fears Russia will invade Ukraine.

Some 2,000 will be sent from America to Poland and Germany, while the US will also reposition part of an infantry squadron of around 1,000 who are currently in Germany to Romania.

The Pentagon has also put about 8,500 US-based troops on higher alert for possible deployment to Europe as extra reassurance to allies.

Mr Biden has said he will not put American soldiers in Ukraine to fight any Russian incursion, although the US is supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself.

Announcing the deployment, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said: “I want to be very clear about something: these are not permanent moves… Moreover, these forces are not going to fight in Ukraine.

“They are going to ensure the robust defence of our NATO allies.”

Reuters reported a source as saying 1,700 forces would deploy from Fort Bragg in North Carolina to Poland, and another 300 from the base to Germany.

It comes amid stalled talks with Russia over its military build-up at Ukraine’s borders.

The deployment underscores growing fears across Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin will order an invasion of Ukraine – and smaller NATO countries on the eastern flank worry they could be next.