A budget package signed by President Joe Biden on Saturday to fund US government operations for the current financial year includes a $228 million in security aid for the Baltic States, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.
According to Tallin, the US allocated $228 million to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania through the Baltic Security Initiative (BSI), designed to support the countries' developing of air defence, maritime situational awareness and land forces.
"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 sends a clear signal that the US, the largest ally in NATO, is committed to the security and stability of our region."
The BSI, created in 2020, was allocated $225 million by the US last year and $169 million a year earlier.
The US Congress passed the $1.2 trillion package after a vote in the Senate, averting a partial government shutdown, the White House said on Saturday.
The package includes funds for defence, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor, among others, but does not include further aid needed by Kiev.
A legislative package for Ukraine is currently stuck in the House of Representatives. Republicans in the House, who have a majority, have so far blocked Ukraine aid.
