On Friday, the US Congress passed a bill that involves a total of 228 million dollars in military and defence aid to Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia this year under the Baltic Security Initiative, the Estonian public broadcaster ERR has reported.
“Support from the US has significantly helped Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania fast track several military infrastructure and capability development projects,” Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said in a statement. “The good news is that the support is slightly higher than last year.”
“This (financial aid) sends a clear signal that the US, the largest ally in NATO, is committed to the security and stability of our region,” he added.
Created in 2020, the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) is a measure through which the US Department of Defence supports developing military capability and interoperability of the armed forces of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
The focus of the US funding is on developing air defence, maritime situational awareness, and land forces in the Baltic states, Estonia’s Defence Ministry said.
A total of 225 million dollars was allocated under the BSI to the three countries in 2023.
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