U.S. informed Europe of cuts to military aid, Lithuania says
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
Reuters World News Summary
26 nations have pledged to give Ukraine security guarantees, French President says. German government to seek approval for 80 defence projects, including Eurofighter jets. British Deputy Prime Minister resigns after failing to pay tax on new home. Queen’s cousin dies aged 92 after long association with Wimbledon tennis tournament, Buckingham Palace says. The Queen’s grandson, Prince Harry, says he is “devastated” by the news. The U.S. State Department says it is “deeply saddened” by news of the death of the Queen’s nephew. The death of Prince Harry’s nephew, Prince William, has been announced. The British government says it will hold talks with the U.N. on the crisis in Ukraine. The European Union says it has agreed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, but not at the cost of other countries’ military aid. The EU says it wants to see a deal to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine by the end of the year, but the deadline has not yet been set.
26 nations vow to give Ukraine postwar security guarantees, Macron says
Twenty-six nations have pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, which will include an international force on land, sea and in the air, French President Emmanuel Macron said after a summit meeting of Kyiv’s allies on Thursday. Macron said he, fellow European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy held a call with U.S. President Donald Trump after their summit and U.S. contributions to the guarantees would be finalised in the coming days.
Berlin considers purchase of Eurofighters, modernisation of Taurus cruise missile
The German government plans to seek parliamentary approval for around 80 defence projects by the end of the year, including the purchase of Eurofighter jets and the modernisation of the Taurus cruise missile, according to a document seen by Reuters. The document outlines 81 defence projects that surpass the threshold of 25 million euros ($29 million), beyond which purchases need approval by parliament’s budget committee.
Egypt vows to block Palestinian displacement, hardens rhetoric on Gaza
Egypt said on Friday it would not tolerate mass displacement of Palestinians and what it described as genocide, continuing to ratchet up its criticism of Israel’s Gaza offensive as thousands of residents of Gaza City defied Israeli orders to leave. “Displacement is not an option and it is a red line for Egypt and we will not allow it to happen,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty told reporters in Nicosia.
Starmer deputy Rayner resigns over tax in damaging blow to UK PM
British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner resigned on Friday after saying she deeply regretted her mistake of underpaying property tax on a new home, in a damaging blow for her boss, Prime Minister Keir Starmer. After Britain’s independent adviser ruled that she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct tax, there was little Starmer could do to protect his deputy, saying he was “very sad to be losing you from the government”, describing her as a “trusted colleague and a true friend”.
Norwegians to pick new parliament in tightly fought election clouded by geopolitical angst
Norwegians head to the polls on Sunday and Monday to elect a new parliament, in what is a close race between a left-wing bloc led by the incumbent Labour Party and a right-wing bloc dominated by the anti-immigration Progress Party and the Conservatives. Centre-left parties – Labour, the Socialist Left, the Communists, the Centre Party and the Greens – are currently seen winning 87 seats, just two more than needed to secure a majority, according to an average of polls conducted this month by pollofpolls.no.
Britain’s Duchess of Kent has died, Buckingham Palace says
Britain’s Duchess of Kent, the wife of the cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth and best known for her long association with the Wimbledon tennis tournament, has died aged 92, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. Born Katharine Worsley, she joined the royal family when she married Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, in 1961 after meeting him five years earlier when he was stationed at a military barracks in northern England.
Zelenskiy says thousands of troops could be deployed to Ukraine under security guarantees
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Friday thousands of troops could be deployed to Ukraine under security guarantees proposed by its allies once Russia’s war on his country ends. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land and sea and in the air.
Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul elected PM after rout of ruling party rival
Thailand’s Anutin Charnvirakul was elected prime minister on Friday after breezing through a parliamentary vote, trouncing the candidate of the Shinawatra family’s once-dominant ruling party to end a week of chaos and political deadlock. With decisive opposition backing, Anutin easily passed the threshold of more than half of the lower house votes required to become premier, capping off days of drama and a scramble for power during which he outmanoeuvred the most successful political party in Thailand’s history.
Putin says any Western troops in Ukraine would be fair targets
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that any Western troops deployed to Ukraine would be legitimate targets for Moscow to attack, in a warning to Kyiv’s allies as they discuss measures for its future protection. Putin was speaking a day after French President Emmanuel Macron said 26 countries had pledged to provide postwar security guarantees to Ukraine, including an international force on land, sea and in the air.
Farage’s Reform party sees conference as ‘next step’ to UK government
Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK kicks off a conference on Friday the Brexit veteran hopes will underline the growing popularity and sway of a party enjoying a double-digit poll lead over the Labour government. The two-day, sold-out conference in the English city of Birmingham, headlined “The Next Step”, will see more than 10,000 attendees take part in an event Farage says shows Reform is “on the march, and the sky is the limit for this movement”, ready to take power at an election due in 2029.
U.S. informed Europe of cuts to military aid, Lithuania says
The U.S. Department of Defense informed European countries last week that military support under a program known as Section 333 will be cut to zero from the next fiscal year, a Lithuanian defence ministry official said on Friday. Two sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday the United States will phase out some security assistance for European countries near the border with Russia, raising concerns among key recipients such as Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia – former Soviet republics now in NATO and the European Union.
Two powerful aftershocks pummel Afghanistan after earthquakes kill 2,200
Two powerful aftershocks struck eastern Afghanistan 12 hours apart, triggering fears of more deaths and destruction on Friday in a region where earthquakes have killed about 2,200 people as rescuers battled mountainous terrain and harsh weather. Survivors in the earthquake-prone region are scrambling for basic amenities as the United Nations and other agencies warn of a critical need for funds, food, medical supplies and shelter, with the World Health Organization seeking funds of $4 million.
Work paused at Hyundai’s US site after hundreds of workers detained in raid
Hundreds of workers at a Hyundai Motor facility being built in Georgia have been detained in a major raid by U.S. authorities, forcing a pause in the construction of a car battery factory that is part of what would be the biggest investment in the state. The raid on Thursday has dealt a setback to the project, and highlights an increasing crackdown by the Trump administration on immigrants and its disruptive impact on businesses, even as the White House tries to spur more inflows from foreign investors.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
U.S. to cut military aid for Europe: official
The U.S. is to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia. The move comes as it pushes the continent to play a greater role in its own defence. Lithuania’s defence policy director Vaidotas Urbelis said funding will be reduced to zero. The decision comes as President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine. A White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Trump had signed that reevaluated U.s. foreign aid. The Washington Post said the funding to be cut was worth several hundreds of millions of dollars.
The United States is to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia, as it pushes the continent to play a greater role in its own defence, an official in one of the countries confirmed on Friday.
“Last week, the U.S. Defense Department informed the countries that, starting from its next financial period, funding will be reduced to zero,” the defence policy director in Lithuania’s defence ministry, Vaidotas Urbelis, told reporters.
The decision comes as U.S. President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.
Urbelis confirmed reports in The Washington Post and The Financial Times citing unnamed officials saying the move was part of Trump’s efforts to cut U.S. expenditure abroad.
The FT said U.S. officials had told European diplomats last week that Washington would no longer fund programs to train and equip eastern European militaries along Russia’s border.
The Washington Post said the funding to be cut was worth several hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars.
In Lithuania’s case, the cuts would impact “the purchase of U.S. weapons and other equipment, and training”, Urbelis said.
He added that it “will not have an impact on the U.S. troop presence in the region”, which was funded through a separate U.S. budget allocation.
A White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Trump had signed that reevaluated U.S. foreign aid.
“This action has been coordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s longstanding emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defence,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Trump has long been sceptical of both U.S. defence spending in Europe and aid for Ukraine, pushing some of Washington’s closest allies to play a greater role on both fronts.
The Lithuanian defence ministry official said that the U.S. funding for training and equipping its military covered between a third and 80 per cent of total military aid received by the country.
Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees daily that he viewed the U.S. move as “especially symbolic, in a negative way”.
US phases out security programs for European allies near Russia
U.S. plans to wind down programs that trained and equipped east European militaries. The move involves Section 333 funding, which has supported states on NATO’s eastern flank. European officials warn that the cuts could weaken NATO’s ability to plan and prepare. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., criticized the plan as a “misguided move that sends exactly the wrong signal” and a ‘misguided’ move to force Putin to the negotiating table and deter Russian aggression.. The administration has pressed NATO allies to increase defense spending, and in June, members agreed to raise their commitments to 5% of their GDP. The future of the Baltic Security Initiative — which provided $228 million last year for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — is also in doubt.
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.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™. Point phone camera here
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.
Start your day with fact-based news. Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe Anytime. Daily Newsletter
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.
US to cut military aid for Europe, says official
US to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia. Decision comes as US President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine. Lithuanian defence ministry official said US funding for training and equipping its military covered between a third and 80 per cent of total military aid received by the country. White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Mr Trump had signed that reevaluated US foreign aid.
VILNIUS – The United States is to end long-running military assistance for European countries close to Russia, as it pushes the continent to play a greater role in its own defence, an official in one of the countries confirmed on Sept 5.
“Last week, the US Defence Department informed the countries that, starting from its next financial period, funding will be reduced to zero,” the defence policy director in Lithuania’s defence ministry, Mr Vaidotas Urbelis, told reporters.
The decision comes as US President Donald Trump struggles to end Moscow’s three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Urbelis confirmed reports in The Washington Post and The Financial Times citing unnamed officials saying the move was part of Mr Trump’s efforts to cut US expenditure abroad.
The FT said US officials had told European diplomats last week that Washington would no longer fund programmes to train and equip eastern European militaries along Russia’s border.
The Washington Post said the funding to be cut was worth several hundreds of millions of dollars.
In Lithuania’s case, the cuts would impact “the purchase of US weapons and other equipment, and training”, Mr Urbelis said.
He added that it “will not have an impact on the US troop presence in the region”, which was funded through a separate US budget allocation.
A White House official said the move hewed to a January executive order Mr Trump had signed that reevaluated US foreign aid.
“This action has been coordinated with European countries in line with the executive order and the president’s longstanding emphasis on ensuring Europe takes more responsibility for its own defence,” the official said, on condition of anonymity.
Mr Trump has long been sceptical of both US defence spending in Europe and aid for Ukraine, pushing some of Washington’s closest allies to play a greater role on both fronts.
The Lithuanian defence ministry official said that the US funding for training and equipping its military covered between a third and 80 per cent of total military aid received by the country.
Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told the Postimees daily that he viewed the US move as “especially symbolic, in a negative way”. AFP
US may cut security assistance to Baltic States near Russia’s border
The cuts are part of President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. The Financial Times was the first to report on the planned reduction in security assistance. Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are the main recipients of this funding. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the decision misguided. The US Congress has approved funding for this assistance program but only through the end of September 2026.
The cuts are part of President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy. His administration has scaled back foreign aid and is urging European nations to shoulder a greater share of their defense costs.
The Financial Times was the first to report on the planned reduction in security assistance.
Russia’s war against Ukraine has heightened concerns in Europe about regional stability and the potential for further aggression from Moscow.
Among the main recipients of this funding are Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The US Congress has approved funding for this assistance program—managed by the Department of Defense—but only through the end of September 2026. The Trump administration has not requested an extension of the program, one of the sources confirmed.
In response to a request for comment,
a White House official referred to an executive order Trump signed shortly after beginning his second term in January.
“On the first day of his second term, President Trump signed an executive order to review and streamline US foreign assistance,” the official said.
“This action is being coordinated with European countries in line with that executive order and the President’s long-standing emphasis on ensuring Europe takes greater responsibility for its own defense,” the official added.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the decision misguided.
“There is no logic in reducing our allies’ defense readiness at a time when we are urging them to strengthen their capabilities. It puts American troops at greater risk when we scale back training for allied soldiers who would fight alongside them,” Shaheen stated.
Read also: Migration crisis: How Europe went from Merkel’s “We can do it” to closed doors
Follow us on Facebook and X!