The Pentagon warned Tuesday that Russia’s decision to move Iskander nuclear-capable missiles to Kaliningrad is unnecessary and could continue to destabilize the region, which is already on high alert. Russia over the weekend moved the missiles near the border with Poland and Lithuania as part of what it said was a training mission, Reuters reported. The move prompted a protest by Lithuania, with its foreign minister saying it “only increases tensions in the region, but also possibly violates international treaties which limit deployment of ballistic missiles of range over 500 kilometers.”
President Donald Trump on July 4 signed into law $150 billion in defense funds as part of the tax-and-spending package known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” after congressional Republicans approved the legislation in narrow, drawn-out votes earlier this week.