U.S. European Command Chief Says Russian Buildup Has ‘Plateaued”

Gen. Tod Wolters, Commander of NATO and U.S. European Command, vowed in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday that the Alliance is prepared to respond to Russian aggression. “We deter, and if deterrence fails, we’re prepared to respond to aggression with the full weight of the trans-Atlantic alliance,” he said. Wolters said it is “of great concern, and our vigilance is high,” as a “very, very large” Russian ground force had moved near Crimea and Donbas, with shifts in air and maritime forces as well. He further said that Russia’s efforts to move supply lines forward had, however, “plateaued.” Wolters said the chances of an invasion, while hinging on a variety of factors, would likely start to diminish beyond the next two weeks based on the current trajectory of Russian forces. “My sense is, with the trend that I see right now, the likelihood of an occurrence will start to wane,” he said.