Former United States Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has said the United States should deploy more Black Sea troops to Bulgaria and Romania to prevent potential Russian aggression as tensions between Moscow and Washington escalate.

"I think we should continue to oppose Russia and try to stop its misbehavior," said Esper, now a fellow at the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University.

"Washington must try to reassure European allies and strengthen NATO by deploying more forces in Poland, 'in the Baltics, if it makes sense and places like Romania and Bulgaria, if not permanently - on a rotating basis," he said. .

The United States will deploy an additional 500 troops to Germany, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said yesterday, a reversal of the former administration's plan to withdraw its forces. Former President Donald Trump, who has had strained relations with his NATO allies, has announced he will withdraw 12.000 US troops from Germany, home to the largest US force in Europe, for a total of 35.000.