“We should not be thinking in terms of battalions of five to six-hundred soldier, but in terms of brigades, which are three to five-thousand soldiers,” Menendez said on Monday.
Menendez argued that the United States should consider a more “robust military presence” in the Baltics and throughout Eastern Europe, “stop all force withdrawal” and conduct a review of the US force posture.
In response to what the United States and the West view as Russian aggression in Ukraine, the United States must look at “fundamentally recalibrate [its] approach to security in Europe,” and treat the entirety of Europe as being under threat from Russia, he added.
The New Jersey Senator was the leading sponsor of the Ukraine Freedom Support Act in the US Congress that called on the US President Barack Obama administration to increase sanctions against Russia, and provide military aid to the Kiev government.
Menendez has recently come under scrutiny from the US Justice Department, and may soon face criminal corruption charges for peddling political influence for personal favors and gifts.
Menendez is the ranking Democrat on the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
