WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, today questioned Gen. Curtis M. Scaparrotti, Commander of U.S. European Command (EUCOM), about ongoing Russian activities in the European region.

Wicker, Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, discussed the Organization of Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) mission monitors on the ground, as well as the organization’s work to provide an accurate depiction of activities and compliance with international treaties. He also asked about Russian “snap” military exercises and whether or not those actions are in line with agreements currently in place.

Gen. Scaparrotti stated that there is reason to be concerned about Russian activity trends in the Arctic and North Atlantic regions, as they are more aggressive and are reestablishing bases in the area. He went on to recommend that we go back to establishing the same deterrence practiced during the Cold War.