US Gen Mark Milley: American troop deployment in Kyiv 'ultimately a presidential decision'

United States is still “a ways away” from the possible decision on re-introducing US Special Forces into Ukraine, General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Monday. He acknowledged that “low-level planning” was underway adding that it would be a "presdiential decision," ultimately. As Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, President Joe Biden had withdrawn the American troops in order to avoid the direct confrontation between the militaries of the two nuclear-armed global superpowers. Recently, the embassy raised concerns about the safety of its diplomatic staff and prospects of whether Biden administration will reintroduce the US troops to Kyiv for the security of Americans emerged. 

At a press briefing on Monday, May 23, Gen Mark Milley admitted that the request of troop deployment in Ukraine hasn’t made it to the level of review by the US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. It would ultimately be up to Biden administration to approve it, Milley told reporters. “At the end of the day, any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we’re a ways away from anything like that,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Army said. 

“We’re still developing courses of action, and none of that’s been presented yet to the Secretary,” said Mark Milley. 

Milley did not divulge whether he was referring to low-level planning for US troops to potentially secure diplomatic presence in Ukraine. He also stoped short of specifying if the US Special Forces will be conducting other military activities in Kyiv. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby, however, had admitted to sharing intelligence with the Ukraine’s military and Washington has been supplying advanced weaponry and equipment to Kyiv to deter assaults by the invading Russia troops on their territory.

US Defence Secretary pledges military aid to Ukraine supplied by 20 countries

After a virtual meeting with his European allies earlier yesterday, Austin pledged military aid supplied by at least 20 countries for Ukraine. This included Harpoon anti-ship missiles to be shipped by Denmark, US Department of Defense said in a statement. “Everyone here understands the stakes of this war,” Austin iterated at a DoD briefing. 

Pentagon has been weighing an option of deploying the US military’s Special Forces to Kyiv to guard the newly reopened embassy and American diplomats. And the US President Biden will be presented with a proposal in the weeks ahead, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby informed in a statement. US State Department has been in contact with Ukrainian officials about the potential security requirements now that America resumed operations at the embassy in Kyiv. “But no decisions have been made,” Kirby emphasized, adding that the plans have been underway. The implementation of the security aspect depends on how the conflict in Ukraine’s east unfolds, he said. State Department officials are also considering restoring a Marine security guard detachment in Kyiv, stating that the provision is similar to security at American embassies, worldwide.