Washington approves $228 million in US military aid to the three Baltic states, Estonia says

Estonia’s defense officials say the U.S. Congress has passed a bill that includes a total of $228 million in military and defense assistance to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this year under the Baltic Security Initiative.

HELSINKI — The US Congress has passed a bill that includes a total of $228 million in military and defense assistance to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this year under the Baltic Security Initiative, Estonia’s defense officials said on Saturday.

The US government funding legislation includes military aid to the three Baltic countries, all of which are NATO members and neighbors of Russia, which was approved by lawmakers on Friday.

“US support has significantly assisted Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in accelerating several projects for the development of military infrastructure and capabilities,” Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said in a statement. “The good news is that support is slightly higher than last year.”

“This (financial assistance) sends a clear signal that the US, the largest ally in NATO, is committed to the security and stability of our region,” he said.

Established in 2020, the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) is an undertaking through which the US Department of Defense supports the development of military capabilities and interoperability of the armed forces of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

The focus of US financing is on the development of air defense, maritime situational awareness and land forces in the Baltic states, the Estonian Ministry of Defense said, adding that under the BSI a total of $225 million in assistance to the three countries has been assigned.

In December, the United States and the Baltic states agreed on a five-year roadmap for defense cooperation, which is intended to guide defense and national security cooperative relations between the countries until 2028.