U.S. TROOPS NEEDED TO DETER RUSSIA: OFFICIAL

ADAZI MILITARY BASE Latvia needs a permanent U.S. military presence to deter Russia and wants to boost its defences with U.S. Patriot missiles, Defence Minister Artis Pabriks said Monday as NATO’S chief visited allied troops in the Baltic country.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due to arrive in Latvia’s capital Riga late on Monday before a meeting on Tuesday with 29 NATO counterparts. The alliance is alarmed by a Russian military buildup on Ukraine’s borders.

“We need additional international assistance,” Pabriks said. “We would like to have a permanent United States presence in our country.”

Moscow says it has no intention of invading the Baltics or Poland and accuses NATO of destabilizing Europe by moving troops closer to Russia’s borders. NATO Secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said there was “no imminent threat” against NATO.