The Trump administration intends to end long-standing security assistance programs for Europe, including an initiative aimed at strengthening the continent's eastern flank against a possible future attack by Russia.

This move is part of a broader effort to redefine Washington's role in NATO, according to six sources cited by the Washington Post.

The decision, which concerns hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid that some of the Alliance's most vulnerable members rely on, has raised concerns among U.S. allies struggling to understand the Trump administration's policy toward Europe and the Kremlin.

Meanwhile, American lawmakers appear confused. The Russians are really only interested in American dollars, American troops and the American flag, a European official said, expressing concern about the message that cutting this aid would send to Moscow.

The White House said in a statement that the aid cut was made in coordination with the Europeans and is in line with Trump's executive order to review US foreign aid, as well as the president's emphasis on the need for Europe to take more responsibility for its own defense.

Europe has taken steps forward, the statement emphasizes. We are pleased that European allies are taking more initiatives in the field of defense.

As the American newspaper comments, Trump has taken a contradictory stance amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, sometimes showing annoyance and sometimes diplomatic warmth towards Putin, while at the same time approving arms sales and security guarantees to Kiev.

The Pentagon is equally contradictory, comment sources cited by the Washington Post. It is indicative that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met in July with the leaders of the three Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) praising their efforts to increase military spending. However, behind the scenes, the Pentagon's policy department is pushing for the abolition of specific support programs, the WSJ notes.