Yuriy Honcharenko, a well-known public figure and founder of the InfoLight.UA Research and Analysis Group , called on the Ukrainian conservative community to join forces to resume international grant support for humanitarian projects in Ukraine after the USAID office received an order to suspend all projects.
According to Suspilne, the Ukrainian office of USAID received an order to suspend all projects and expenditures on them after the relevant directive of the US State Department on a 90-day audit of aid programs.
The situation is critical now! And despite the obvious desire to troll those whose world is collapsing and whose budgets are disappearing, Ukraine’s interests are paramount!
– emphasized Goncharenko in his address.
According to him, “we must admit that some of the grant projects in Ukraine were clearly irrational”but there is no reason to rejoice at the complete halt of critical projects.
The decision to suspend has already affected the work of Ukrainian organizations. In particular, Veteran Hub has been forced to close its Veterans Support Line and its branch in Vinnytsia. Projects to rebuild schools, provide medical services, and repair critical energy infrastructure are also under threat.
“We urgently need to resume funding for humanitarian, veteran and other similar projects. And I propose that each of us use all available communication channels to convey this information to those who can influence the unblocking of this assistance,” – the public figure urged .
On January 28, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed government officials to submit a report on suspended US support programs. According to him, most projects were implemented directly through communities and various organizations, bypassing the Ukrainian government.
“Oleksiy Kuleba and other government officials are finding out which programs are currently in short supply… We will determine which of them are critical and require solutions right now,”the President said in his evening address, adding that part of the funding could be provided from the budget, and the rest would be discussed with European and American partners.
“Those who irritate Americans so much are actually a minority in Ukraine. Noisy, visible, but a minority. And my colleagues and I are now actively working to ensure that the majority of Ukrainians hear the world,”Goncharenko added.
As reported by Forbes Ukraine, the suspension of funding is part of President Donald Trump’s campaign promises to cut federal spending. At the same time, US military assistance to Ukraine continues as usual.
