American diplomats are calling on US Secretary of State Mark Rubio to make an exception for Ukraine in the matter of ending foreign aid. As informs Financial Times with reference to senior officials of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the State Department, US representatives believe that the termination of funding for the programs of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Ukraine may have negative consequences for the national security of the United States and weaken support for Ukraine at a critical moment.
On January 24, the US State Department issued an order temporarily suspending funding of most foreign aid programs for 90 days, which also affected part of humanitarian support for Ukraine. This decision caused concern among both Ukrainian and American diplomats, who are calling for an exception for Ukraine.
According to the publication, USAID was instructed to immediately stop all current contracts and assignments in Ukraine. However, the diplomats appealed to Secretary of State Mark Rubio to allow continued funding of the Ukrainian USAID mission. They emphasized that the agency’s activities are key to Ukraine’s social infrastructure and economic development, and also correspond to US interests in maintaining regional stability.
For now, the implementation of this decision in Ukraine is temporarily suspended, the final decision of the State Department is awaited.
We will remind that on January 21, US President Donald Trump signed a decree to suspend foreign aid for 90 days, arguing that some programs contradict American values. At the same time, according to the Pentagon, military support for Ukraine remains unchanged, as confirmed by the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi.
Representatives of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations cooperating with USAID warn that the freezing of funding could have serious consequences for many programs aimed at rebuilding the country. At the same time, discussions continue in Washington regarding possible exemptions for Ukraine, which remains one of the key partners of the United States in countering global challenges.
