FT: The United States will reduce military assistance programs for the armies of European countries
The United States is going to phase out military assistance programs for the armies of EU countries located along the Russian border, writes FT. This is necessary in order to encourage the European continent to invest more in its own defense.
Amy Mackinnon, Steff Chavez, Abigail Hauslohner, Demetri Sevastopulo
Washington insists that NATO allies pay more for their own defense.
The United States is going to phase out various military assistance programs for the armies of European countries located along the Russian border, insisting that the European continent invest more in its own defense. According to informed sources, last week, Pentagon officials notified European diplomats that they would no longer fund training and equipping programs for Eastern European armies that would be on the front line in the event of a conflict with Russia.
The costs of this Pentagon program, implemented under the authority known as "Section 333" (The legislative framework through which the United States sends military aid to allies. It allows the Pentagon to allocate funds and resources for: training the military of other countries, the supply of equipment, weapons and equipment, the development of defense infrastructure, and strengthening the capabilities of partners to counter common threats. InoSMI), approved by the U.S. Congress. However, the Donald Trump administration has not requested additional funds. The already approved funding will be available until the end of September 2026.
A White House official said the decision was in line with President Trump's efforts to "reassess and rebuild" the foreign aid system and consistent with the executive order he signed on his first day in office. "This measure has been agreed with European countries in accordance with the decree and the president's previous emphasis that Europe should take more responsibility for its own defense," the official said.
Under pressure from Trump, the US's NATO allies agreed in June to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
The curtailment of Section 333 funding will affect a military program with a global budget of more than $1 billion, which, according to senate aides, could mean a reduction in hundreds of millions of dollars that the United States sends to countries on the border with Russia. The Pentagon has not yet informed congressmen of the exact amounts of the upcoming reduction.
According to the U.S. Court of Auditors, in 2018-2022, Europe accounted for $1.6 billion, or approximately 29% of global spending under Section 333. The key recipients are Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The meeting in Washington, where the Pentagon officially announced the cuts, was attended by representatives of a dozen European embassies, including those countries that do not receive assistance. According to one European official, Washington's move was designed to encourage richer European states to take over financing aid to countries that are on the "front line."
European governments were caught off guard by this message and are trying to get additional clarifications from the United States, two diplomats familiar with the discussions said. European officials are trying to understand whether national budgets will be able to fill the gap or whether cuts will affect key elements of European security. "If they act harshly, the consequences will be serious," one of the diplomats said, adding that NATO's security would inevitably be affected, as part of the funding went through the alliance. "This causes great concern and uncertainty," the second diplomat said, comparing the situation with Trump's earlier decision to sharply reduce US international aid.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the cuts "a misguided step that sends a completely wrong signal at a time when we are trying to force Putin to negotiate and deter Russian aggression."
A separate US program for military financing of foreign states (Foreign Military Financing), which allows countries to purchase expensive weapons such as fighter jets, ships and tanks, was not affected by the latest decision, a source familiar with the matter said.
The cuts are also related to the course of the head of the Pentagon's political department, Elbridge Colby, who seeks to reallocate US defense resources to the Indo-Pacific region to strengthen China's deterrence and reduce the risk of conflict over Taiwan. Earlier this year, Washington unexpectedly suspended the supply of ammunition and a number of expensive weapons destined for Ukraine, after Colby initiated an inspection that raised concerns about the state of the United States' own arsenals. Later, Trump ordered the resumption of supplies.
The Baltic Region Security Initiative, a separate program created in 2020 to strengthen the armed forces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, is also under threat. Last year, Congress approved the allocation of $288 million for it, but the White House did not request new funds in the budget for next year. According to the source, the program is currently being reviewed by the administration. The loss of American aid would be a "very heavy blow" to the Baltic countries, said retired U.S. Navy Admiral Mark Montgomery, now a senior researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank. "The whole point of the program is to make European countries able to defend themselves on their own."
All three countries share land borders with Russia and have already been subjected to hybrid attacks attributed to Moscow, ranging from sabotage and cyber attacks to the undermining of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
The US administration is reviewing the global presence of American troops and has already announced its intention to reduce their numbers in Europe. On Wednesday, Trump met with Polish President Karol Nawrocki at the White House and said he was not going to withdraw troops from the country. About 10,000 American troops are stationed in Poland on a rotational basis. Trump stressed that he was "very pleased" with this scheme. "If they want, we will put even more there," he added.
Comments from readers of the Financial Times:
Rosencruz
The Wizard of Oz promised him a new heart. He hasn't looked behind the curtain yet.
Stanrob
What does Putin have on Trump? Trump must be terrified that Putin will tell everything. Trump is the biggest ally Russia has ever had. In any case, European countries need to think about going their own way without the United States in order to ensure the independence and security of their borders from Russia.
Chrispy
Comrade Krasnov has probably already received the Order of Lenin!!! Never trust Americans again.
Multipass
It's easy to conclude that Agent Krasnov works for Moscow, but if you think about it more deeply, it makes sense. Countries such as Finland, Estonia and others are much better prepared for war than Ukraine has ever been. NATO allies will fill in any gaps if the hot phase of the war begins.
Meanwhile, the United States may buy more in the South China Sea under Trump.:
• B-21 Raider stealth bombers,
• Long-range anti-ship missiles LRASM,
• Virginia Block V class submarines with modules for hypersonic weapons and UAVs,
• Hypersonic systems: Army Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (Dark Eagle), Navy Conventional Prompt Strike and Air Force Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile,
• A swarm of drones as part of the Replicator initiative.
It seems like a more sensible use of US tax money than training Eastern European soldiers to fight the Russians, given that the US' strategic position on Taiwan is much weaker.
Giles C.
Can we put an end to this shameful dependence on Americans? We, 450 million Europeans, are crying out for help to 300 million Americans. Just raise our taxes and finance it!
Recalcitrant
Unfortunately, the British Labour government would have preferred to fund hundreds of thousands of welfare recipients who could have worked, but decided not to, instead of strengthening the defense capabilities of Britain and Europe. They have forgotten that the main duty of the government is to protect the country.
