Top US general in Europe says US needs to deploy more troops, warships to counter Russian aggression

The top general overseeing U.S. military operations in Europe told U.S. senators during a hearing Tuesday that he thought the U.S. needed to increase its presence in Europe in order to counter Russia's "increasingly aggressive force."

Here's what we know

Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti oversees all U.S. military operations in Europe and is the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe. On Tuesday, he appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Asked about the threat of Russian aggression by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Scaparrotti said, "In light of Russia's modernizing and increasingly aggressive force posture EUCOM [European Command] recommends augmenting our assigned and rotational forces to enhance our deterrence posture."

He also said that he had asked for two more destroyers to be sent to Europe because "we do need greater capacity particularly given the modernization and growth of the fleets — Russian fleets in Europe." He spoke of Russia as a "growing threat" and warned about the current state of U.S. "intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capacity."

Scaparrotti also said that the United States is considering helping Ukraine improve its military sniper capabilities, although this would only be done through "policy deliberations."

What else?

Scaparrotti told the committee that if Turkey went through with a deal to buy Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles, then the United States should refuse to sell it any F-35 fighter jets.

"My best military advice would be that we don't then follow through with the F-35, flying it or working with an ally that's working with Russian systems, particularly air defense systems, with what I would say is probably one of most advanced technological capabilities," he said.