Dismantling of US foreign aid plunges Ukraine into humanitarian and economic crisis
UN operations in the invaded country have been severely affected by Donald Trump’s freeze on international aid and the decision to halt USAID programs
Ukraine is the largest recipient of U.S. humanitarian and economic aid. The country, invaded by Russia in February 2022, has received more than $34 billion in non-military assistance through USAID, the White House agency for international development, in three years of war. In 2023, the last year for which consolidated data is available, the figure was $17.1 billion, while the average received by states assisted by USAID is $565 million. On January 24, President Donald Trump signed an order to freeze all non-military foreign aid from his government and earlier this month, the Trump administration announced its intention to dismantle USAID, the world’s largest development cooperation agency. Both decisions leaves Ukraine facing an unexpected humanitarian and economic crisis.
