A week after Trump’s administration suddenly ordered an extensive stop for US foreign development aid, this effect is already felt in Ukraine destroyed by war. Several humanitarian organizations claim that they were forced to suspend operations, including helping war veterans and internally displaced people.
The orders issued, while Trump’s administration performs a 90 -day foreign aid audit was sent by humanitarian organizations in Ukraine, which depends strongly on this help.
The United States, the largest only source of assistance to Ukraine, provided more than $ 37 billion in humanitarian aid, development aid and direct budget support through their war almost three years ago since the beginning of the war almost three years ago Agency for International Developmentalso known as USAID
Yuriy Boyechko, founder and CEO Hope for Ukrainewho cooperates with the US financed Ukrainian groups to supply firewood to the inhabitants of Frontline, he said that the impact of stopping on financing would be immediate. Suddenly, he said, he said, leaving people alone in the middle of the winter.
“They will feel the effect of this next week,” Mr. Boyechko said in an interview. “That’s just very harmful because you have millions of people in front areas near Kherson and Charkiv who live for a long time without light.” Fuel wood was the only source of heat and a way to prepare food. ”
Ivona Kostyn, chairwoman of a veteran fungus, an organization that supports veterans and their families, said that the organization has already stopped two main programs: one that connects with Ukrainian employers in the field of employment for veterans and the other providing space for veterans.
“It is at a break, but in fact, for us, 90 days of pause, the loss of our team, our space, the trust of our clients,” she said. A sudden stop in financing “undermines the reliability of partnership,” said Mrs. Kosyna.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 in 2022 released the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, the European nations had most of the loads of refugees who had fled Ukraine. The United States has helped to reduce the flow of refugees by financing humanitarian programs that helped internally displaced people.
USAID spokesman in Washington on Tuesday confirmed the New York Times that all programs and grants without surrender to the Foreign Minister were suspended for 90 days, while the audit continues. The US Foreign Ministry said VA declaration The fact that the freezing of assistance has been justified by the need to “focus on American national interests” and that it would no longer “disappear money without a return to the American people”.
US officials of the US Embassy in Ukraine asked for exceptions to maintain help for the country, according to Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, a Ukrainian legislator. Financial times first announced the application. In an interview, Mr. Yurchshyn said the discussion of the exemption for Ukrainian assistance continues.
He expressed concern that emergency food aid programs would have to suspend operations, even if they were exempt from orders worldwide. Financing “reduces pressure on migration,” he said, because people can stay in their cities when schools and municipal services like water and natural gas work.
The Agency Help funded the repair and repair of the water system for schools damaged by Russian artillery shelling.
Mr. Yurchyshyn, who continued to help, will also face “the narration of totalitarian countries, that democracy is unstable partners, and you can never be sure that democracy will help you.”
For now, however, it seems that most of the help has been stopped.
E -mail from the Foreign Ministry of one group, on 24 January and looked at New York Times, said “all foreign aid prices are immediately suspended” and that the group “must stop all work on the program and not stop any new costs” after 24 January. The group was instructed to cancel as many excellent obligations as possible.
The threat of Trump’s administration for indefinite assistance all help has some groups that fear retribution if they oppose freezing.
In the e -mail, who saw The Times, ACTED, the main French organization working in Ukraine and partially funded by the United States, ordered the Ukrainian partner group to “stop/suspend all the work until the next announcement”. He added that the group should not “communicate and comment on”, which warns that “organizations may be subject to sanctions around the world”.
The Ukrainian partner group manager, speaking anonymously for retaliation, stated that the directive would force her to immediately release almost 100 employees and not pay their salaries, which are due by the end of the month.
The head of the independent Ukrainian organization, who spoke of the state of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the situation, said he was asked to suspend the development of new projects and re -evaluation of portfolios so that no activities concerning gender or homosexual issues were listed.
Ukraine also has a number of media projects that survive on grants, allowing them to remain independent. Dozens of media organizations in Ukraine are now demanding support.
Bogdan Logvynenko, founder of Ukrainer, who publishes articles on Ukraine in foreign languages, said he did not expect funding from the United States to continue after the 90 -day audit. “We are our only chance,” he says in a request for public gifts.
Ukrainian independent media currently receive more than 80 percent of their funds from the United States, said Logvynenko.
It seems that not all groups have been warned that they should stop operations.
Oksana Kuiantseva, a member of the Board of Directors in Charity Foundation East SOS, said the organization had not received any suspension announcement.
Most of the interviewed groups expressed growing concerns. “The situation shows how close geopolitics may be,” said Yakymuk, Director of Linza, NGO.
Elections in another country can stop, such as an online learning program for children in Ukraine, he said. “Such is obvious addiction and influence on our little lives on this big game.”
Andrew E. Kramer The report contributed.
