the us has placed 8500 troops on a state of heightened alert for possible deployment to eastern europe in the event that nato needs help. they include surveillance and reconnaissance trips that are expected to join the 40,000 strong nato emergency response unit. the move represents a pivot on the part of the biden administration which up to now had been restrained as far as its response to the crisis along ukraine s order was concerned, for fear of concerned, forfear of antagonising russia. concerned, for fear of antagonising russia. the concerned, forfear of antagonising russia. the biden administration has stepped up its weapons shipments to kyiv but it continues to insist that it has no plans to send us troops to ukraine to fight against russian forces and that this is all part, this 8500