Americans change strategy, the allies puzzled

Americans change strategy, the allies puzzled

According to those familiar with the situation, the Americans did it in order to "calm down" the Europeans during the tensions with Russia.

"The Secretary of Defense has ordered the USS Harry S. Truman landing unit to remain in the European Command's operational zone, instead of heading to the main command's operational zone as planned," said a Pentagon member who wished to remain anonymous to the news agency AFP.

Without mentioning the tension over Ukraine, which together with Western allies accuses Moscow of crowding tens of thousands of soldiers on its border due to a possible invasion, the US Department of Defense official pointed out that this change of route "testifies to the need for constant presence in Europe".

"It is necessary in order to confirm to our allies and partners that we are engaged in our joint defense," the anonymous interlocutor added. USS Harry Truman and that unit sailed into the Mediterranean on December 14, with the intention of coming to the Persian Gulf through the Suez Canal.

Russia and the United States have agreed to hold talks on Ukraine and European security on January 10, followed by a NATO-Russia meeting two days later, and a round of talks within the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), established during the Cold War with the aim of fostering East-West dialogue.