The US Congress has approved the allocation of $7.1 billion in funding for economic support to countries in the Pacific Islands in exchange for exclusive American military presence in their territories, according to The Financial Times.
The funding is part of a bill that allocates $460 billion for various federal agencies, which was supported by the US Senate.
The three mentioned island states – Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia – may have small land areas, but their territorial waters cover a total of 4,000 kilometers, providing the United States with strategically important access to the Pacific region. According to FT, these countries allow the US to deploy missiles, long-range radar systems, and conduct tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles.
In late February, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that the scale of US military exercises and those of their allies would increase this year due to the potential of NATO member states.
Earlier in Russia, the consequences of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons were discussed.
