The Lithuanian Defense Ministry has said that Washington has informed European partners about a planned reduction in U.S. military assistance for countries bordering Russia.
Lithuanian officials said they had received “certain indications” that the funding would be revoked, but had not yet received any formal written notification from the White House.
Newsweek contacted the Pentagon for more information via email.
Why It Matters
The U.S. notification to NATO members and other partners that it planned to phase out some security assistance for countries near Russia has potential strategic implications for deterrence along NATO’s eastern flank and for U.S.-European defense burden-sharing debates.
What To Know
Vaidotas Urbelis, director of defense policy at Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defense, told reporters on Friday that the U.S. had begun speaking to European countries about reducing military funding near Russia.
“Officially last week, the U.S. Department of Defense informed the countries that starting next year, starting next fiscal year, this line will be zeroed out for all European countries,” Urbelis said.
“Officially, in writing, on paper, it doesn’t exist. There are conversations, there is certain information and certain statements that we see the overall picture.
“So far, we do not have any official information about the review of support. We have conversations, certain indications. We are talking to officials from the Department of Defense, looking at what options are possible, what programs will be continued, which ones may be postponed, and what path we will take.”
The news comes after reports that Pentagon officials had begun informing European diplomats that the U.S. would no longer fund the training and equipping of militaries in eastern European countries that would be on the front line of any conflict with Russia.
The Financial Times reported that the Pentagon program that provides this funding, called Section 333, is subject to congressional approval, but that the Trump administration has not requested more money.
What People Are Saying
A White House official told the Financial Times: “This action has been co-ordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s long-standing emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defense.”
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement on September 4: “It makes no sense at all to undercut our allies’ defense readiness at the same time that we’re asking them to step up their own capabilities, and it puts American troops at risk when we slash the training of the allied soldiers they would fight alongside.”
What Happens Next
The current round of funding is set to last until the end of September 2026.
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