USAID Suspends All Humanitarian Projects in Ukraine as Aid Freeze Takes Effect

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has ordered an immediate suspension of all projects in Ukraine, following a State Department directive freezing most foreign aid for 90 days, Suspilne reported, citing sources inside the agency. 

The move is part of US President Donald Trump’s broad review of US funding abroad, which has already impacted multiple American-backed initiatives worldwide.

The USAID office in Kyiv has received formal instructions to halt funding and activities across Ukraine, though staff have not been given details on whether certain programs will receive exemptions or how long the freeze will last. The agency’s press office has declined to comment, referring all inquiries to the US State Department.

The suspension affects a wide range of US-funded civilian programs, including energy infrastructure repairs, school reconstruction, and medical assistance. Several Ukrainian organizations relying on American support have already received notices that their projects must be put on hold.

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Among them is Veteran Hub, a nonprofit supporting Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front. Co-founder Ivona Kostyna announced on Facebook Jan. 26 that due to the funding freeze, the organization will be forced to shut down its Veteran Support Line and Vinnytsia Hub, urging businesses and local donors to step in.

The aid suspension stems from an executive order signed by Trump on Jan. 20, which put nearly all US foreign assistance on hold for a three-month review. The decision has raised alarm among Ukrainian and European leaders, as Washington has been one of Kyiv’s largest financial backers since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Despite the halt on civilian funding, military assistance remains unaffected, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. Speaking on Jan. 25, he reaffirmed that Ukraine is still receiving US defense support.

The Pentagon has also confirmed that the aid freeze does not apply to military assistance, though concerns remain about the long-term implications of the broader foreign aid review.

The Financial Times reported that US diplomats within the State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to exempt Ukraine from the aid freeze. However, as of Jan. 25, no exemption has been granted.