General Mark Milley, who is the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff stated on Monday that although there is low-level planning currently underway, the United States is still "a ways away" from re-introducing U.S. troops back into Ukraine, that the decision ultimately lies with U.S. president Joe Biden.
The United States withdrew troops from Ukraine on February 24th, just before Russia's invasion of the country in order to avoid direct conflict with Russia.
The re-opening of the U.S. embassy in Ukraine has caused some to question whether the United States should also be bringing its troops back into the country in order to ensure the security and safety of the diplomats within Ukraine.
Milley said that to some extent staff is planning ahead of a possible decision to send American troops back into the country, but that the planning hasn't made it to his level for review, or to the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
"At the end of the day, any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we're a ways away from anything like that. We're still developing courses of action, and none of that's been presented yet to the Secretary [of defense]" Milley stated.
U.S. officials did tell the Wall Street Journal, however, on Monday that the Biden administration is currently considering sending special forces to Ukraine in order to guard the embassy in Kyiv.
The United States withdrew troops from Ukraine on February 24th, just before Russia's invasion of the country in order to avoid direct conflict with Russia.
The re-opening of the U.S. embassy in Ukraine has caused some to question whether the United States should also be bringing its troops back into the country in order to ensure the security and safety of the diplomats within Ukraine.
Milley said that to some extent staff is planning ahead of a possible decision to send American troops back into the country, but that the planning hasn't made it to his level for review, or to the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
"At the end of the day, any reintroduction of U.S. forces into Ukraine would require a presidential decision. So we're a ways away from anything like that. We're still developing courses of action, and none of that's been presented yet to the Secretary [of defense]" Milley stated.
U.S. officials did tell the Wall Street Journal, however, on Monday that the Biden administration is currently considering sending special forces to Ukraine in order to guard the embassy in Kyiv.