Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced Tuesday that the Pentagon would seek $3.4 billion in fiscal year 2017 to fund its European Reassurance Initiative aimed at deterring Russian military operations in Eastern Europe. The figure quadruples the Defense Department's FY-16 request of $789 million, which went to fund rotational activities and exercises to "reassure allies and partners of our commitment to their security and territorial integrity," according to an ERI fact sheet released by the White House Feb. 2. The FY-17 funding boost "marks a significant upgrade of these efforts and is intended not only to continue assurance measures but also to enable a quicker and more robust response in support of NATO's common defense," the fact sheet states.
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