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War games: U.S. to send 200 combat troops to join militaryexercises in western Ukraine in a warning to Putin

'Rapid Trident' exercises will involve more than 1,300 troops from 14 countries including many NATOallies

Maneuvers will take place near the Ukraine-Poland border

Pressure is mounting on Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw support from rebels threateningUkraine's government

France has delayed the first of two warships slated for delivery to Russia, citing conditions related tothe crisis

Putin claimed he could conquer Kiev in two weeks if he wanted to annex the entire Ukrainian nation

By Reuters and David Martosko, Us Political Editor for MailOnline

Published: 12:36 EST, 2 September 2014 | Updated: 18:11 EST, 3 September 2014

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The United States is preparing to send 200 combat troops to join 1,100 fighters in a large joint military exercise thismonth in western Ukraine, as as fighting between the army and Russian-backed rebels rages in the eastern part ofthat country.

The decision to go ahead with the Sept. 16-26 'Rapid Trident' exercise is seen as a sign of the commitment of NATOstates to support Ukraine – which is not a NATO member – while stopping short of military intervention in the conflict.

The annual exercise, to take place in the Yavoriv training center near Ukraine's border with Poland, was initiallyscheduled for July, but was pushed back because early planning was disrupted when Russian-backed separatistsbegan a significant military invasion from the east.

'At the moment, we are still planning for (the exercise) to go ahead,' U.S. Navy Captain Gregory Hicks, spokesmanfor the United States European Command (EUCOM), told Reuters on Tuesday.

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President Barack Obama reviewed an Estonian honor guard on September 3, ahead of military exercises that willmatch up American troops with those from 13 other countries

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Canadians like these fighter pilots will join the US in war games seemingly designed to send a 'back off' message toVladimir Putin

NATO stepped up military activity in its eastern member states after Russia's annexation of Crimea in March, and isexpected to agree at a summit in Wales this week to create a new rapid reaction force of several thousand troops.

In addition to staging air force exercises, the U.S. is moving tanks and 600 troops to Poland and the Baltic states ofEstonia, Latvia and Lithuania for additional joint maneuvers in October, replacing a more lightly armed force ofparatroopers.

But Rapid Trident will entail the first significant deployment of U.S. and other personnel to Ukraine since the crisiserupted.

President Barack Obama was in Estonia on Wednesday to reassure the former Soviet Baltic states of that Americansupport hasn't wavered; Estonia's prime minister called on Tuesday for a more visible NATO presence in easternEurope.

Washington has promised Ukraine $52 million in 'nonlethal' security aid, and has already provided combat rations,body armor, radios and other equipment.

Pentagon leaders have met with their Ukrainian counterparts to discuss a range of options for cooperation. But fornow, supplying lethal military hardware is off the table.

'It is very important to understand that a military solution to this problem is not going to be forthcoming,' PresidentBarack Obama told reporters at the White House last week.

EUCOM says the exercise this month will involve about 200 U.S. personnel along with 1,100 others from Ukraine,Azerbaijan, Britain, Canada, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania and Spain.

Focused on peacekeeping, it will include command post drills, patrolling and dealing with improvised explosivedevices.

While it involves many NATO members as well as countries such as Ukraine, who are part of NATO's broader'Partnership for Peace,' the exercise is not formally a NATO drill.

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The border region between Poland (in green) and Ukraine (in orange) will host the 'Rapid Trident' exercises as conflictbrews near Ukraine's eastern border with Russia

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America's Eastern European Command confirmed that 200 U.S. servicemen and women will participate in theexercises

More broadly, under a broad program titled 'Operation Atlantic Resolve' meant to show U.S. commitment to theEuropean allies, NATO is running what officials say is a ramped up version of its regular summer and autumn trainingschedule.

Obama has announced a series of ever-increasing U.S-backed economic sanctions designed to financially crippleRussian President Vladimir Putin and his circle of close allies from the country's aristocratic and business class.

A tougher blow came Wednesday, as France decided to postpone delivery of the first of two warships Russia hadordered as part of a $1.6 billion deal.

French President Francois Hollande's office said in a statement that 'despite the prospect of a ceasefire which stillremains to be confirmed and implemented, the conditions for France to deliver the first warship are not, to date, inplace.'

Putin has amped up his rhetoric in recent days, telling outgoing European Commission President José ManuelBarroso on Tuesday that Kiev, Ukraine's capital, would be an easy conquest for him if he wanted it.

The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that he told Barroso,'If I want, I'll take Kiev in two weeks.'

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