In a stunning development that sent shockwaves through the humanitarian community, Donald Trump’s freeze on U.S. foreign aid has abruptly cut off funding to numerous Ukraine-based NGOs, leaving critical support programs for veterans, media, and healthcare in the lurch. The move, which came just days after Trump’s inauguration, caught many organizations off guard and has forced the suspension of vital services across Ukraine.
According to sources at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAid) mission in Ukraine, the vast majority of projects have been ordered to halt operations effective immediately. Small local media outlets, veteran support groups, and medical aid programs are among those scrambling to cope with the sudden loss of funding, with many announcing imminent closures on social media.
“Most of the projects have received an order to stop,” a USAid source in Ukraine told AFP, painting a dire picture of the situation on the ground.
The scope of the impact is staggering, with organizations like Veteran Hub being forced to shutter branches and countless other NGOs seeing their work grind to a halt virtually overnight. The fallout from Trump’s aid freeze is reverberating throughout Ukrainian civil society, threatening to unravel years of progress and hard-won gains.
EU Sanctions on Russia Move Forward as Hungary Drops Objections
In a related development, the European Union was finally able to extend its wide-ranging sanctions on Russia on Monday after Hungary agreed to stop blocking the renewal. The breakthrough came after the EU satisfied Hungary’s demands with a declaration on energy security, paving the way for the continued freezing of Russian central bank assets and other punitive measures.
“This will continue to deprive Moscow of revenues to finance its war,” declared EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. “Russia needs to pay for the damage they are causing.”
The profits from the frozen assets are being used to back a $50 billion G7 loan to Ukraine, making the sanctions a critical lifeline for the war-torn nation. Hungary’s pro-Putin Prime Minister Viktor Orbán had been delaying the sanctions renewal while calling for a “sanctions-free” relationship with Russia, but the objections collapsed after Trump’s election and threats of even harsher measures against Putin’s regime.
Ukraine War Briefing: Key Developments
- Kharkiv Attacked: Russian air strikes set a private business ablaze in the northeastern city, according to the mayor. Emergency services are on the scene with no word yet on casualties.
- Prison for Putin Critics: A Russian court sentenced a retired teacher to 8 years for criticizing Putin and sharing evidence of atrocities in Ukraine. Another Russian citizen received 10 years for allegedly spying on Ukraine’s military.
- Zelenskyy Meetings: The Ukrainian leader discussed security and EU membership with France’s Macron and the European Council Chief while attending Auschwitz commemorations in Poland.
- Russia’s “Nazi” Textbook: A new history textbook in Russia compares the war in Ukraine to the Soviet fight against the Nazis, claiming NATO “forced” Russia to invade. The propaganda effort is being roundly dismissed by Ukraine.
As the war in Ukraine approaches the three-year mark, the twists and turns keep coming at a dizzying pace. From Trump’s aid bombshell to the EU sanctions saga and disturbing developments within Russia itself, the conflict shows no signs of abating. With each passing day, the costs mount ever higher and the path to peace grows ever more uncertain.
