UPD: The US State Department's order to suspend foreign aid does not affect military support for Ukraine, reported the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation. The agency stated that US support for Ukraine's defense capabilities remains unchanged and continues, particularly through military aid packages that were previously approved.
According to the information, the two main programs, PDA (Presidential Drawdown Authority) and USAI (Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative), which manufacture and supply weapons to Ukraine, continue to operate without changes.
On Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio suspended the expenditure of funds for most existing foreign aid grants for 90 days.
According to a document obtained by Politico, Rubio's order, sent to all diplomatic and consular missions, requires department staff to issue "stop-work orders" on almost all "existing foreign aid grants." It takes effect immediately.
However, the document also provides for some exceptions. It states that foreign military financing for Egypt and Israel will continue, as well as emergency food aid and "legitimate expenses incurred before the date of this guidance."
However, according to three current and two former officials familiar with the new guidance, no further actions will be taken to allocate funds for programs already approved by the US government.
According to one current State Department employee and two former Biden administration officials, the pause is likely to lead to the cessation of aid to key allies such as Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan.
Trump and Republicans have long pointed to what they called wasteful foreign aid spending under the Obama and Biden administrations. But in recent days, Trump has intensified his rhetoric towards Russia, threatening Moscow with sanctions if it does not end its nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine, and stating that Putin is responsible for ending the war.
Photo: AP