S. 2914: Eastern Flank Strategic Partnership Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Eastern Flank Strategic Partnership Act of 2025, aims to enhance defense cooperation between the United States and specific NATO allies located on the Eastern Flank of NATO. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

Short Title

The Act is formally titled the **Eastern Flank Strategic Partnership Act of 2025**.

Findings

The bill recognizes certain findings, which emphasize the importance of frontline NATO allies in regional security. These allies, which include countries like Bulgaria, Estonia, and Poland, play a crucial role in:

• Defense spending commitments to NATO.
• Supporting Ukraine against aggression.
• Contributing to the deterrence of threats from Russia and Belarus.

Definitions

The bill defines the term "Eastern Flank strategic defense partner" as NATO member countries that:

• Border or are geographically close to Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine.
• Commit to significant defense spending by 2035.
• Host NATO military forces.
• Face threats from hostile state actors.

The countries classified as such include Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

Policy and Priority for Strategic Defense Cooperation

Statement of Policy

The bill establishes that it is U.S. policy to:

• Recognize the role of these Eastern Flank partners in NATO's defense.
• Prioritize cooperation with these partners for defense initiatives.
• Treat them as priority recipients for security assistance.
• Support Ukraine with necessary security aid.

Priority

The U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense are directed to prioritize these partners in various defense assistance programs, including:

• Foreign Military Financing.
• Capacity-building for foreign security forces.
• Transfer of excess defense articles.
• Participation in military exercises and interoperability training.

Implementation

The established policy and priorities will be implemented to reinforce existing defense agreements with these countries.

Stockpiling and Pre-positioning of Defense Articles

The bill mandates that the Secretary of Defense prioritize these partners in the War Reserve Stocks for Allies program and consider expanding stockpiles in these countries to increase regional deterrence.

Congressional Briefing

The bill requires that, within 180 days of its enactment, the Secretary of Defense must brief Congress on the implementation of key sections of the Act, including timelines and goals.

Relevant Companies

• RTX (Raytheon Technologies): As a leading defense contractor, Raytheon could see increased demand for military technology and equipment due to heightened defense cooperation and aid to NATO allies.
• BA (Boeing): Boeing, involved in both defense and aerospace industries, may benefit from expanded contracts for military support and equipment for NATO partners.
• LDOS (Leidos Holdings): Leidos provides technology and services for defense and military applications, and may gain contracts related to logistics, training, and security assistance.
• NOC (Northrop Grumman): Northrop Grumman focuses on advanced defense technologies which may see expansion in contracts as NATO allies strengthen their defense postures.