Summary

Directs U.S. foreign and defense policy to prioritize cooperation and security assistance for nine NATO allies on the eastern edge of Europe (Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia). It requires the State and Defense Departments to give priority—using existing authorities—to Foreign Military Financing, foreign security force capacity-building, transfers of excess defense articles, participation in exercises and interoperability training, and placement/expansion of war reserve stockpiles, and to brief Congress within 180 days on implementation plans.

• Declares a U.S. policy to prioritize defense cooperation and assistance for nine Eastern Flank NATO allies.
• Directs priority use of existing authorities: Foreign Military Financing, 10 U.S.C. 333 assistance, excess defense article transfers, and war reserve stocks.
• Encourages increased participation in exercises, interoperability training, logistics, and forward mobility planning with listed partners.
• Requires Defense Department to prioritize and consider expanding war reserve stockpiles in Eastern Flank countries.
• Requires a joint State/Defense briefing to two House committees within 180 days describing implementation timelines and mechanisms.
• Does not appropriate new funds or create new authorities; it instructs departments to use existing statutory tools.
• Aims to strengthen deterrence, reduce strategic response time in the region, and reinforce bilateral defense arrangements.
• Targets specific NATO members that face threats from nearby hostile state actors and that host or support forward deployments.