US cuts military support for states bordering Russia Financial Times

The United States is ending funding for training and equipping the armed forces of European countries bordering Russia, the Financial Times (FT) has reported.

According to the publication, Pentagon officials informed European diplomats last week that the programmes designed to support frontline armies in the event of a conflict with Russia will no longer receive funding.

Senate aides estimate that the cuts could affect a programme through which $1.6 billion was allocated to Europe between 2018 and 2022. The main beneficiaries of this funding were previously Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

However, another initiative — Foreign Military Financing, which allows countries to purchase major weapons systems including aircraft, ships and tanks — will not be subject to the cuts.

The FT notes that the decision aligns with the strategy of Pentagon’s chief policy adviser Elbridge Colby, who seeks to redirect resources toward the Indo-Pacific region to contain China and reduce the risk of conflict over Taiwan.

By Vugar Khalilov