The Pentagon has cut U.S. military spending in Europe by 15 times.

According to RIA Novosti on September 10, an analysis of US Department of Defense budget documents shows that the agency will cut funding for US military readiness in Europe by nearly 15 times in 2026 compared to 2023.

RIA Novosti points out that the program in question is the European segment of the US Military Reserve Program-2 (APS-2), which provides a reserve military stockpile. Spending on this program has been cut for the fourth consecutive year. Specifically, in 2023, the figure was approximately $495 million; in 2024 - $251.7 million; in 2025 - $116.9 million; and in 2026 - $33.4 million.

According to the budget proposal, this decision relates to a memorandum from the US Secretary of Defense in April directing the military to eliminate outdated programs, prioritize high-tech projects, and place the APS-2 into what is known as maintenance mode.

Previous media reports indicated that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump was preparing to make even broader cuts to security programs in Eastern Europe, including reductions in the Baltic Security Initiative and funding under Section 333 of U.S. law – which provides training, intelligence sharing, and equipment to the militaries of partner countries.

Overall, spending on the APS program is projected to decrease from $660.2 million in 2023 to $330.8 million in 2026, reflecting Washington's strategic shift away from Europe and toward the Pacific region.