The US Department of State confirmed on Saturday that the United States had redirected $52 million (€46.33 million) in military aid originally intended for Slovakia to four Latin American countries.
The funds, which were unspent under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) programme, will be used to strengthen US security partnerships with Colombia, Ecuador, Panama and Peru. Washington announced the reallocation in mid-September.
Democrats have sharply criticised the decision, arguing that the suspension of aid to Slovakia and North Macedonia is particularly problematic because the funds were part of legislation supporting Ukraine and were primarily intended for countries affected by the war in Ukraine. Congress approved the aid in 2022, shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion began.
The Trump administration rejects the criticism, maintaining that Europe and the Middle East remain US national security priorities and that significant resources remain available for those regions.
Slovak Defence Minister Róbert Kaliňák said the reallocation should not have a significant impact on Slovakia's defence capabilities. Following a government meeting two weeks ago, he said that FMF programmes in Slovakia had already been completed and that major projects had been implemented in previous years.
“We may regret this, but we are not the rulers of the United States—we do not dictate what they should do. They have their own foreign policy priorities and will act accordingly. However, I assume that the agreements we have concluded with the United States will be honoured,” the Slovak Defence Minister said.
US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott emphasised that the United States would continue to invest in security partners “who are prepared to act immediately, and in programmes that support the current key national security priorities of the United States.”
Source: STVR, TASR
