US Congress Approves $200M for Baltic Security Amid Rising Russian Aggression

• The US Congress approved a $200 million security assistance package for Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI) for Fiscal Year 2026.
• The funding, part of an $838.7 billion defense package, aims to bolster NATO's eastern flank against intensifying Russian activity.
• An additional $10 million was allocated to Estonia via the Foreign Military Financing program, previously used for HIMARS ammunition and Javelin missiles.
• Republican Congressman Don Bacon highlighted the funding's importance for deterrence and reaffirmed strong US congressional commitment to NATO.
• Baltic leaders, including Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, view the funding as a political statement of transatlantic ties and a recognition of the region as NATO's front line against Russian hybrid operations.