White House seeks to halt funding for investigations into Russian war crimes in Ukraine – media
The U.S. administration has recommended terminating funding for nearly two dozen programs investigating war crimes worldwide, including those in Myanmar, Syria, and Russian atrocities in the war against Ukraine.
This was reported by Reuters, citing sources, according to Censor.NET.
The White House Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday sent a letter to the U.S. State Department proposing that funding for several programs be cut.
The Office of Management and Budget recommendation, which has not been previously reported, is not a final decision to terminate the programs, as it gives the State Department the option to appeal.
Three sources told Reuters that several of the programs slated for termination implement projects aimed at holding perpetrators accountable for war crimes in Ukraine.
These include the Global Rights Compliance project, which assists in gathering evidence of war crimes and crimes against humanity across Ukraine, such as sexual violence and torture.
Another program is the Legal Action Network, a legal aid group that supports local efforts to prosecute Russian suspects accused of war crimes in Ukraine, sources told Reuters.
According to two U.S. officials, expectations that Senator Rubio will advocate for the continuation of many programs are low.
However, one source familiar with the matter said Rubio may support preserving critical programs, such as assistance with potential war crimes prosecutions against Russia in Ukraine.
