Last week, representatives of the Pentagon informed European diplomats that the United States will no longer finance programs for the preparation and equipping of the military in the countries of Eastern Europe, which may be on the forefront in case of conflict with Russia, sources said. The costs of this program of the Pentagon should be approved by the US Congress, but the US presidential administration Donald Trump did not request additional funds. Already approved funds will be available until the end of September 2026.
The representative of the White House said that this step is consistent with the efforts of President Donald Trump to revalize and reorganize foreign assistance and corresponds to the decree that he issued on the first day of his stay. According to him, Europe should take on more responsibility for its own defense.
According to the estimates of the Senate assistants, the financing reduction will affect the world budget of more than $ 1 billion. According to the US Accounts Chamber, under the program in Europe, from 2018 to 2022, $ 1.6 billion was allocated, which is approximately 29% of global expenses. Key recipients of funds are Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
According to one European official, this step, apparently, is aimed at encouraging the richest European countries to pay more for assistance in the field of security bordering the Russian Federation.
The future of the Baltic Security Initiative is threatened, the newspaper writes. This is a separate program created in 2020 to strengthen the Armed Forces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Last year, Congress approved the allocation of $ 228 million to support this initiative. According to the source of the publication, the US administration is reviewing this program.
European governments were stunned by this message and are trying to get more detailed information from Washington, two diplomats reported in the negotiations.
Senator Gene Sheikhin, the main democrat in the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, called the reductions in an erroneous step, which, according to her, “sends a completely incorrect signal to Russia.
According to a person who is familiar with the situation, the latter decision did not affect the United States for financing foreign military expenses, within the framework of which countries are provided with funds for the purchase of expensive products, such as fighters, ships and tanks.
Context
November 7, 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that Trump prompts Europe to large defense costs.
On December 20, Financial Times wrote that after taking office in January 2025, Trump would probably demand from NATO members to increase defense costs to 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP).
January 22, 2025 Head of the European Defense Agency (EDA) Kai Callas The EU countries called on the increase in defense investments not only to prevent the war, but also to be prepared for it. Indeed, according to intelligence services, Russia can attack Europe in three to five years. According to Kallas, Moscow spends almost five times more budget funds than Brussels. According to European Commissioner for Defense Andryus Cubilyus, This year, Russia will spend 40% of the federal budget for defense and safety, which is 9% of GDP.
