Parliamentary consultations on replacing USAID assistance have begun
At the parliamentary level, consultations have already begun with European colleagues on possible substitution of American aid
According to Censor.NET, this is stated in a statement by the Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy on the suspension of funding for projects and programs in Ukraine by the United States Agency for International Development. (USAID).
"The scale of the problems faced by Ukraine and dozens of other countries in connection with the termination of US aid is much larger than it might seem at first glance. Ukrainian organizations and other entities that received grants from USAID did not have time to prepare for such drastic changes," the statement said.
The Committee notes that while the audit is ongoing, Ukraine must take prompt action to avoid destabilizing key processes in the country and to plan its actions in this area in the future.
"At the parliamentary level, consultations have already begun with European colleagues on possible substitution of American aid - at least until final decisions are made in Washington. At the same time, due to the pause, further normalization of processes may take place in three, four, five, or even six months," the statement said.
The Committee also recalled that with the grant support of the U.S. Agency for International Development, many cultural initiatives have been implemented in Ukraine, creating jobs and providing opportunities for the creative realization of talented Ukrainian youth. In addition, the grants have become a pillar of support for many domestic media outlets, as the advertising market, which helped the media "survive," has not yet revived after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation.
As noted, the suspension of funding is taking place in the context of a rebuff to the aggressor state, including information.
"At a time when every voice counts, and when cultural diplomacy and truthful information are integral to protecting Ukraine's independence. With limited state funding, grant assistance is sometimes almost the only option for the functioning of cultural and media projects," the statement added.
USAID is also implementing projects aimed at providing psychological assistance to children and families with children who have found themselves in difficult life circumstances due to Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. Support for the educational process has allowed thousands of children to continue their education.
"USAID's assistance is an important part of our path to democratic development and sustainability, especially in the current geopolitical environment. Therefore, we emphasize the need to maintain these projects to ensure further progress in the country's development. We hope that together with the Government and our colleagues from the sectors supported by U.S. assistance, we will be able to find some solutions for the most difficult times ahead," the Committee concluded.
Earlier, Censor.NET reported that Zelenskyy had instructed government officials to report on those US support programs that are currently suspended. Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Vereshchuk announced talks on resuming funding for humanitarian projects.
Also on January 29, it became known that a US court had blocked Trump's decision to suspend funding for nonprofit organizations.
As reported earlier, USAID confirmed the complete suspension of funding for all programs and projects in Ukraine for 90 days to implement the State Department's directive to audit foreign aid. This decision applies to all countries where USAID operates, with the exception of Israel and Egypt.
Ukrainian organizations and local governments are notified of the need to suspend the implementation of projects funded by USAID or organizations dependent on American funding.
USAID supports projects in more than 100 countries around the world, including Ukraine, where funds are used to rebuild schools, provide healthcare services, and repair the critical energy system.
In total, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, USAID has allocated $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid to Ukraine and $5 billion in development aid.
