U.S., NATO prepare to sharpen eastern defenses if Russia invades Ukraine
(Washington Post Europe)

The White House has repeatedly warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that if he is concerned about NATO`s presence near Russia`s border now, that posture will only increase if he chooses to invade Ukraine. Already, eastern European members of the alliance are clamoring for more U.S. forces as a deterrent against an irredentist Kremlin that once controlled their lands.