FT: US Cuts Security Aid to Russia’s Neighbors

The administration of US President Donald Trump plans to gradually phase out security assistance programs for European countries that share a border with Russia.

This refers to funding under Section 333, which allows the Pentagon to train and equip allied armies, the Financial Times reports, citing its own sources.

The funds are currently approved until September 2026, but no new funding requests are expected.

This was announced at a closed-door meeting in Washington, where Pentagon officials informed the ambassadors of several European countries. According to diplomats, the news came as a surprise, and the governments of Russia’s neighbors are looking for ways to compensate for the loss of American funding.

The Baltic Security Initiative, which has been supporting the defense capabilities of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania since 2020, is under threat. Last year, $288 million was allocated for it, but no new funding is provided. Instead, United States Foreign Military Financing, which covers the purchase of equipment, will remain unchanged, the source said.

A White House official said the move was in line with Trump’s policy of ‘reviewing and redistributing’ foreign aid. According to him, Europe must take more responsibility for its own defense, especially in the face of growing threats from Russia.

In parallel, the Trump administration is reviewing the global deployment of troops. It is planned to reduce the American presence in Europe, although about 10,000 troops will remain in Poland. If necessary, this contingent may even be increased.