US phases out security programs for European allies near Russia
Washington plans to wind down programs that trained and equipped east European militaries, U.S. officials told European diplomats. The move involves Section 333 funding, which has supported states on NATO’s eastern flank. A White House official said the step reflects Trump’s directive to review foreign aid and push Europe to shoulder more of its defense costs, according to the Financial Times.
How much funding is at stake?
The U.S. Government Accountability Office’s figures show Europe received $1.6 billion from Section 333 between 2018 and 2022 — nearly a third of global outlays. The program remains funded through the end of fiscal year 2026, according to Defense Security Cooperation Agency budget documents.
According to the Financial Times, ending Section 333 could result in hundreds of millions of dollars in European security assistance being cut, including for European recipients such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
What are European officials saying?
European officials warn that the cuts could weaken NATO’s ability to plan and prepare on its eastern flank.
Lithuanian defense official Vaidotas Urbelis said the Pentagon informed partners that funding would be eliminated for all European states beginning next fiscal year. He noted, however, that no formal written notice has been issued yet, Newsweek reported.
“So far, we do not have any official information about the review of support,” Urbelis told reporters. “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.”
According to the Financial Times, one European diplomat said, “It will have big implications” if the U.S. withdraws support abruptly. Another compared the move to earlier U.S. decisions to slash foreign aid.
How has Congress responded?
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, criticized the plan as a “misguided move that sends exactly the wrong signal” as the U.S. attempts to force Putin to the negotiating table and deter Russian aggression.
“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,” she added.
The change does not affect the separate Foreign Military Financing program, which helps countries purchase large systems, like jets or tanks. The future of the Baltic Security Initiative — which provided $228 million last year for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — is also in doubt, according to the Financial Times.
Why is this happening now?
The administration has pressed NATO allies to increase defense spending, and in June, members agreed to raise their commitments to 5% of their GDP. Trump has argued that Europe has depended too heavily on U.S. support.
Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby is seeking to shift resources to the Indo-Pacific to bolster deterrence against China. Earlier this year, the administration temporarily halted weapons shipments to Ukraine as part of a stockpile review. Those deliveries have since resumed.
Trump assured Polish President Karol Nawrocki during their White House meeting that U.S. forces would remain in Poland and could even be increased if Warsaw requested. He said, “We’ll be staying in Poland,” adding that the allies are “very much aligned.” According to the U.S. State Department, about 10,000 American troops are currently stationed in Poland.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
