Trump administration to end European security programs focused on Russia
The decision, affecting hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid, has alarmed NATO allies and upset U.S. lawmakers who strongly back the alliance.
The Trump administration intends to halt longtime security assistance programs for Europe, including an initiative to fortify the continent’s eastern flank against a potential attack by Russia, as it endeavors to recast Washington’s role within NATO, according to six people familiar with the matter.
The decision would impact hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military aid relied upon by some of the alliance’s most vulnerable members. It has alarmed U.S. allies struggling to comprehend the administration’s policy toward Europe and its chief adversary in the Kremlin after President Donald Trump, eager for a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, rescued its mercurial leader, Vladimir Putin, from diplomatic isolation. U.S. lawmakers, meanwhile, are confused by the move.
“The Russians genuinely only care about American dollars, American troops and the American flag,” said a European official worried what signal a cut in U.S. aid would send to Moscow. Like others, this person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive matter.
In a statement, the White House said its move to slash security assistance was “coordinated” with the Europeans and is consistent both with Trump’s executive order to reevaluate U.S. foreign aid and his “long-standing emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defense.”
“Europe has been stepping up,” the statement says. “… We are pleased with European allies taking on more defense initiatives.”
Trump has vacillated in his approach to Europe amid the long-running Ukraine conflict, exhibiting both frustration and warmth toward Putin while endorsing plans to support Kyiv through American weapons sales and security guarantees.
The Pentagon under Trump also has sent mixed signals, multiple people familiar with the matter said. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in July met with the leaders of the three Baltic nations that border Russia — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — and commended their push to raise defense spending. But behind the scenes, the Defense Department policy office has been aggressive in its efforts to end certain support programs.
Washington Post