Open the newsletter for White House Watch for free
Your guide to what the American elections mean for the year 2024 for Washington and the world
American diplomats have requested urgent exemption for programs related to Ukraine from freezing foreign aid for 90 days and orders to “stop work” issued by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, according to documents seen by the Financial Times and people familiar with the matter.
Quoting concerns related to national security, senior diplomats in the European and Eurasian Affairs Office requested that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have granted a full concession to exclude the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in Ukraine from the comprehensive guidance that entered into force. Immediately after its issuance on Friday.
An email was sent to the United States Agency for International Development in Ukraine on Saturday, and it was reviewed by the Financial Times: “We do not know at the present time whether this request will be approved – completely or partially – but there are positive signals so far from Washington.” . .
In a challenge to Rubio’s order, the US Agency for International Development in Ukraine temporarily suspended the issuance of “stopping work” orders so that it can provide clarity to its partners, according to e -mail and officials in some of these partner organizations.
The agency also asked employees to evaluate programs “and to find ways to support the Minister of Foreign Affairs more clearly to make the United States more secure, powerful and prosperous.”
But by Saturday evening in Kiev, some organizations began receiving “stopping work” orders.
One of these orders that a organization shared with the Financial Times ordered the contractor to immediately stop working under the contract/the task concluded between the United States Agency for International Development and Ukraine “that was granted to the organization.
The contractor stated that the contractor “may not resume work.” . . Until a written notification from the contract official is received to cancel this suspension order. “
The Foreign Ministry, the US International Development Agency and the American Embassy in Kiev did not respond to the requests for comment.
In an internal telegram, it was sent on Friday to the Foreign Ministry and the American Agency for International Development, obtained by the Financial Times: Rubio ordered the suspension of all new foreign aid exchanges. Contract officials and grants were directed to “issuing orders to stop work immediately …”. . . Until the time the secretary is determined after the review. “
The review, which is expected to take up to 85 days, leaves the fate of hundreds of US foreign aid contracts – whose value is estimated at more than 70 billion dollars in the fiscal year 2022 – to be forgotten.
Officials and employees of NGOs in Ukraine warned, where the comprehensive war in Russia will enter its fourth year next month, that, without concession from the new foreign minister of President Donald Trump, programs such as support for schools and hospitals in addition to economic and social programs will be implemented. Energy infrastructure development efforts were at risk.
A program director of a non -governmental organization working in Kiev said that the freezing of financing could be a “disaster” for their organization and Ukraine.
There are some exceptions for Rubio, including “approved exemptions” for military financing for Israel and Egypt, and foreign emergency food aid. But the telegram did not mention such an exemption for Washington -based Ukraine to obtain military aid to fight Russia.
Kiev did not respond to requests to clarify Rubio’s directives regarding the new military assistance of Ukraine.
However, a Ukrainian government official familiar with the “Financial Times” newspaper confirmed that US military aid does not fall under the freezing order. The official said, “The military aid of Ukraine is sound.” “At least so far, it is certain that it is not part of this freezing for 90 days.”
The United States has provided $ 65.9 billion military aid to Kiev since Russia has launched its comprehensive invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. statistics.
Trump was skeptical of US military aid to Ukraine and mocked President Voludimir Zellinski and described him as “the greatest seller on earth” for his efforts to secure weapons and ammunition worth billions of dollars.
Trump said this week he wanted to mediate in a “deal” between Kiev and Moscow to end the war. He added that Zellinski “is tired” and threatened President Vladimir Putin with more penalties unless he negotiated a truce.
https://www.ft.com/__origami/service/image/v2/images/raw/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F0ef2e2b6-7bfd-4e26-afec-14d40d8d3e0f.jpg?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1
2025-01-25 19:46:00