In a significant shift in its foreign policy, the United States is set to terminate its longstanding military assistance to European nations situated near Russia. This move, confirmed by Vaidotas Urbelis, the defense policy director in Lithuania’s defense ministry, signals a strategic push for these countries to take a more proactive role in their own defense.
Urbelis revealed that the US Defense Department communicated last week that funding would be entirely reduced to zero beginning with the upcoming financial period. This decision aligns with President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to manage and ultimately conclude Russia’s prolonged invasion of Ukraine, which has now reached over three years.
Reports from major media outlets such as The Washington Post and The Financial Times have corroborated Urbelis’s statement, citing anonymous sources within the US administration. According to these accounts, US officials informed European diplomats that funding for programs designed to train and equip the military forces of Eastern European countries along the Russian border would be cut. The potential financial implications of this decision are substantial, with the cuts reportedly amounting to several hundred million dollars.
In specific reference to Lithuania, Urbelis noted that this funding reduction will hinder the country’s ability to purchase US weapons and equipment and diminish essential training programs. However, it was clarified that this reduction would not affect the presence of US troops in the region, as those forces are financed through a separate budget allocation.
A White House official commented that this decision is consistent with an executive order signed by Trump in January, which aimed to reevaluate US foreign aid. This directive emphasizes Trump’s long-held belief that European nations need to take greater responsibility for their own defense.
The US’s previous support for military training and equipping efforts has been substantial for countries such as Lithuania, where it accounted for a significant portion—between a third and 80 percent—of total military aid received. In light of these developments, Estonia’s Defense Minister, Hanno Pevkur, expressed his concerns, describing the US decision as “especially symbolic, in a negative way” regarding the security dynamics in the region.
As the geopolitical landscape continues to evolve, this move by the US could have far-reaching implications for European defense strategies and the ongoing response to Russian aggression.
