Donald Trump confirms suspension of aid programs to foreign countries
US President Donald Trump confirmed to reporters on Saturday, the suspension of aid programs to foreign countries, including Ukraine, with the exception of Egypt and Israel.
This comes after the US Agency for International Development (USAID) had received an order to stop funding projects in Ukraine.
In turn, Politico website reported that US Secretary of State Mark Rubio gave instructions to suspend funding for almost all aid programs for 90 days, including those for Ukraine.
US diplomats have asked the State Department to exempt Ukraine-specific programs from the suspension of aid.
It’s noteworthy that US military aid to Ukraine was provided through two mechanisms, one of which was the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which provided for financing the purchase of weapons and military equipment directly from US companies, and the second was the Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA), which allowed aid to be provided from existing US stockpiles without additional consultation with Congress.
In addition, the United States has been providing financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine through various programs.
