Baltic Security Initiative Established in FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act

Congress created the Baltic Security Initiative in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, authorizing dedicated funding under 10 U.S. Code § 333 to build military capacity in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The program was designed to deepen NATO interoperability on Russia's western flank following Russia's 2014 Crimea annexation and the creation of the broader European Deterrence Initiative in June 2014. The BSI funded joint training exercises, equipment transfers, and professional military education for Baltic armed forces. Initial authorization was approximately $169 million, growing to $231 million by fiscal year 2025. The program required Secretary of State concurrence before each activity could proceed, embedding civilian oversight in every program component.