US improve Europe’s defense system on the Eastern flank

Trump intends to increase with 40% the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) budget, a program initiated in 2014 by the United States to ensure Europe’s security, especially the Eastern flank of NATO. The budget of the program increased from an initial value of $ 1 billion to $ 3.4 billion in 2017.

The latest budget request for 2018 is US $ 4.77 billion, with the additional amount going to be dedicated to increasing the US military presence. $ 150 million will be allocated to operations for Ukraine, $ 10 million will be used for online promotion and branding campaigns through marketing and social media, and $ 8 million for counteracting of propaganda and misinformation from other countries.

In Romania, $ 5.2 million will be allocated for the equipment of two military bases, from Câmpia Turzii and Mihail Kogălniceanu, where 500 US military will be stationed.