USAID Ordered to Suspend Projects in Ukraine

The US Agency for International Development in Ukraine has been ordered to suspend all projects and expenditures on them. This implies an order by Secretary of State Marco Rubio freezing payments under most foreign aid programmes for 90 days and suspending new grants. This was reported on Sunday, 26 January, by the Suspilne newspaper, citing an official at the USAID office in Kyiv, dw.com reported. The office did not specify how they plan to implement the directive and whether exceptions are envisaged, redirecting the request to the U.S. Department of State. USAID Ukraine supports school rehabilitation, medical services, and repair of critical energy infrastructure. On 26 January, Veteran Hub co-founder Ivona Kostina said on Facebook that the organization was forced to close the veterans’ support line and the center in Vinnytsia amid the decisions of the new US administration. Kostina asked businesses for support in this regard.