Biden Appears To Reveal U.S. Troops Are Training Ukrainian Forces In Poland

On Monday, President Biden appeared to say that U.S. troops are training Ukrainian forces in Poland to fight against the Russian invasion of Ukraine – despite previous statements from his administration to the contrary.

The United States has been providing billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of the country, but Biden has previously made it clear that the United States would not get directly involved in the war unless Russia attacks a NATO ally.

However, during a press conference on Monday, Biden revealed that U.S. troops are actively involved in training Ukrainian troops to fight Russia.

“That’s not what Biden said Monday. After delivering remarks about the White House’s new budget request, Biden answered a reporter’s question about comments he made when meeting the 82nd Airborne in Poland, in which he implied American forces would be going to Ukraine. Biden denied that’s what he meant, adding: ‘We’re talking about helping train the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland,’” Politico reported. “Pressed again, Biden said, ‘I was referring to being with, and talking with, the Ukrainian troops that are in Poland.’”

The White House quickly tried to walk back Biden’s comments. A White House official said, “There are Ukrainian soldiers in Poland interacting on a regular basis with U.S. troops, and that’s what the President was referring to.”

Gen. Todd Wolters, the head of U.S. European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander, similarly told the Senate Armed Services Committee that U.S. troops are not actively training Ukrainian forces in Poland.

“I do not believe that we are in the process of currently training military forces from Ukraine in Poland,” he said. “There are liaisons that are there that are being given advice, and that’s different than I think you’re referring to with respect to training.”