Baltic Nations Urge US Congress to Uphold Military Support Amid Planned Cuts

Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian lawmakers have jointly appealed to the U.S. Congress to maintain funding for the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), which President Trump’s administration proposes to cut as part of its 'America First' policy aimed at reducing foreign aid. This initiative has provided vital defense support to the Baltic states since 2018, with annual contributions between $168 million and $231 million, helping them boost their defense spending amid concerns over Russian aggression, especially following the conflict in Ukraine. Baltic officials argue that cutting this aid would increase Russian influence in the region and undermine the Baltic states' efforts, which include increasing their defense budgets to over 5% of GDP. The BSI funding also supports U.S. defense industry interests, with Baltic countries co-financing procurement that benefits the American defense sector. Although the proposed cuts would eliminate support under the Section 333 program, they would not affect U.S. troop deployments or Foreign Military Financing. The Baltic parliaments emphasize that their countries have been proactive in opposing Russian energy dependence and escalating defense investments, urging Congress to reject the cuts and uphold the financial commitment to regional security.