GETTY The US tanks will be a welcome addition to Nato forces amid ongoing tensions with Russia

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Increasing tensions in Europe prompted the US to send a huge array of military equipment to Europe in a bid to “deter” Russia. The tanks will be stored at a complex in the southeastern village of Eygelshoven, which was originally opened in 1985 to allow US troops to practice drills in the event of a possible Soviet invasion.

The Russian military activities are not just a concern for our eastern allies - they are a concern for all of us General Tom Middendorp

Plans to open more storage sites in Poland, Belgium and Germany have also been put forward as part of a £2.7billion ($3.4billion) Congress-approved scheme to boost Nato’s presence in Europe. Nato has begun bolstering their European defences following fears of “Russian aggression” from the Baltic states.

General Tom Middendorp, the Dutch chief of defence, said: “When visiting the Baltic states, I experienced this for myself. “Standing there, near the Russian border, you could feel the tense atmosphere.” He added: “But the Russian military activities are not just a concern for our eastern allies - they are a concern for all of us.

GETTY Nato troops training in Kosovo during the summer

“We are taking proportionate and measured steps to defend our alliance. We want to make sure we are sending a clear signal to Russia that we will not accept any violation of Nato’s territorial integrity.” The decision to ship the US tanks to Europe comes after Polish defence minister Antoni Macierewicz announced plans to send 4,000 American troops to the western town of Zagan in the new year.

GETTY Russia has increased the number of missile launchers on its European border