US cuts security assistance programs for countries bordering Russia - FT
Kyiv • UNN
The Trump administration announced the curtailment of Pentagon programs for training and equipping the armies of Eastern European countries bordering Russia. This decision is intended to force European allies to bear a larger share of the costs of their own defense.
The Donald Trump administration has announced the gradual winding down of Pentagon programs to train and equip the armies of Eastern European countries bordering Russia. This decision is intended to force European allies to bear a larger share of the costs of their own defense, writes the Financial Times, as reported by UNN.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Pentagon officials last week informed European diplomats that "the US will no longer fund programs that train and equip militaries in Eastern European countries that would be on the front lines of any conflict with Russia," the publication writes.
Spending on the Pentagon program, which falls under Section 333, must be approved by the US Congress, but the Trump administration has not requested additional funds. Funds that have already been approved will be available until the end of September 2026.
A White House official stated that this move aligns with Trump's efforts to "re-evaluate and reorient" foreign aid and is consistent with an executive order he issued on his first day in office.
"These actions were coordinated with European countries in accordance with the executive order and the President's long-standing emphasis on ensuring that Europe takes on more responsibility for its own defense," the official said.
The reduction in funding under Section 333 could cut hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to countries bordering Russia. According to the US Government Accountability Office, $1.6 billion was directed to Europe in 2018–2022, including for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. And now European diplomats are extremely concerned, the publication states.
"If they are harsh, it will have serious consequences," one of them said, emphasizing that NATO would also suffer.
"This causes a lot of concern and uncertainty," added another.
"The loss of aid will be very difficult for the Baltic states. The whole idea is to make them capable of defending themselves," said retired Admiral Mark Montgomery.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen called the cuts "a misguided step that sends absolutely the wrong signal as we try to get Putin to the negotiating table and deter Russian aggression."
At the same time, the US foreign military financing program is not affected. According to sources, the decision was made amid attempts to redirect resources to the Indo-Pacific region.
Meanwhile, Trump assured Polish President Karol Nawrocki that he would not withdraw American troops from the country: "We will put more there if they want."