Urbelis specified that it is about eliminating funds for “all European countries”.
The fiscal year in the US lasts from the beginning of October to the end of September.
The main beneficiaries of Section 333 are: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The program is subject to the Ministry of Defense and is approved by the US Congress. The already approved financing will be available until the end of September 2026, but the administration of Donald Trump from the moment he took power in January this year. She did not apply for further funds for this purpose.
On Thursday, the British daily Financial Times announced that the US intends to withdraw some of the military support for the countries of the Eastern Flanka NATO.
According to the newspaper, in addition to Section 333, the future of the Baltic Security Initiative – another American military support program, created in 2020 to strengthen the Armed Forces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, is also questionable. As part of this initiative, the US Congress approved the support of $ 288 million. According to “FT”, the Trump administration did not seek to finance the program in next year's budget. The source similar to this case announced that the program is currently assessed by the administration.
Read also: New expenditure limit in NATO. Our neighbors will have to tighten the belt [MAPA]
According to the sources of the British newspaper, Washington wants to force NATO allies to pay more for their own protection.
At a meeting with President Karol Nawrocki in the White House on Wednesday, Trump said that he was not planning to withdraw American troops from Poland. Currently, about 10,000 are stationed in the country. soldiers in a rotational system. – We will place more soldiers there (in Poland – PAP), if (Polish authorities – PAP) – added the US president, directing words to Nawrocki.
