President Joe Biden and U.S. officials are currently discussing possible military deployment to Eastern Europe amid Russian threats against Ukraine, a senior administration official said Monday (January 24) via NBC News.

Conversations are underway with NATO allies in Eastern Europe that could receive U.S. military assets in an effort to combat Russian President Vladimir Putin's aggression and the potential threat of invasion after having sent more than 100,000 troops to neighboring Ukraine's border.

NATO said it planned to send ships and fighter jets to the Eastern European region in response to the Russian threat and Washington was also "made clear that it is considering increasing military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance," NBC News reports.

President Biden was briefed by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday (January 22) about what the U.S. could do in response to a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, as well as military movements by the U.S. prior to the invasion, a defense official and senior administration official confirmed to NBC News.

U.S. military pre-invasion options also included sending bomber flights over the region, ship visits into the Black sea and deploying troops already station in neighboring Eastern European countries -- such as Poland and Romania -- to Ukraine amid the threat.

Officials said Austin presented the U.S. military options to reassure NATO allies and show unity and strength among the Russian threat in the region.

Russia has repeatedly denied preparing for an invasion of Ukraine, despite stationing more than 100,000 troops at various locations along the border of the neighboring country, according to officials from Ukraine and other Eastern European nations via CNBC.

Mark Mason

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