US army drive in eastern Europe to show solidarity

A US army infantry convoy is driving through eastern Europe seeking to provide reassurance to a region concerned that the conflict between Russian-backed rebels and government forces in Ukraine threatens its security.

The US ‘Dragoon Ride’ convoy is attracting interest and greetings from people along its route. It started last week from Estonia and passed through Latvia and Lithuania before entering Poland yesterday.

Flying US flags, dozens of Stryker and other armoured vehicles from the 3rd Squadron of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment are driving down the roads on their way back to base in Vilseck, Germany.

They took part in the Atlantic Resolve exercise that shows Nato’s readiness to defend its members. They will stop in some Polish towns to meet locals.

The move comes at a time when Poland is stepping up its own defences by calling thousands of reservists for urgent military training and by hosting major Nato and international exercises this year. Also yesterday, Canadian and Polish troops held exercises at a test range in Drawsko Pomorskie, in the north-east.

Bordering Ukraine and Russia, Poland says it has trust in Nato’s collective security guarantees but it also harbours bad memories of defence alliances with Britain and France that failed when Nazi Germany invaded in 1939.

Adviser to the defence minister, General Boguslaw Pacek, recently stressed that Nato expects its members to also build their own defences.

In an apparent reference to Russia, Pacek said that the US convoy is a sign to “those in the East” that Nato is strong and united.

Meanwhile, Russia’s food safety watchdog said yesterday that it suspected Serbia of re-exporting Polish apples and was considering banning all fruit imports from the non-EU, country, Russian news agency RIA reported.

Russia has banned all fruit imports from the EU as part of a wider embargo imposed in August in retaliation to Western sanctions over Moscow’s role in the Ukraine conflict.

“Most likely, the apples are Polish,” said Yulia Trofimova, spokeswoman for the watchdog.

Trofimova said the ban may be imposed within 10 days unless Serbia responds, adding that it would cover “not only fruits but all plants”.