U.S. State Department suspends foreign aid. This may affect Ukraine

Politico reports.

According to the document, Rubio's order is effective immediately and requires department officials to issue “stop work orders” for nearly all “existing foreign assistance grants.”

According to three current and two former government officials familiar with the new guidance, no further action will be taken to disperse funds allocated to programs already approved by the U.S. government.

The order has shocked some officials at the ministry, the media outlet writes. At the same time, Politico notes that the document leaves room for interpretation and provides for some exceptions. For example, military funding for Egypt and Israel will continue, and emergency food aid is allowed.

One State Department official, as well as two former Biden administration officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the pause appears likely to halt aid to key allies such as Ukraine, Jordan, and Taiwan.

According to current and former government officials, the directive could expose the U.S. government to liability, as unfulfilled contracts could be sued if it is determined that their terms were violated.

The instruction states that “decisions to extend, modify, or terminate programs will be made after consideration” by Rubio, Politico writes.

The outlet adds that the misuse of financial aid to Ukraine is of particular concern to officials who want to help the country defeat Russia.

The State Department is expected to prepare the report within 85 days. It will accompany Rubio's recommendation to Trump on which foreign aid programs to continue and which to terminate.

At the same time, Voice of America correspondent Ostap Yarysh refutes Politico's information.

“The Pentagon tells me the opposite — that this decree does not apply to military support. I don't know what exactly Politico is referring to. I suspect it may be about the FMF program, but the funds allocated to support Ukraine have long been spent,” he wrote in X.

USAID has also suspended projects to support Ukraine, Reuters reports.

The agency reports that an unnamed USAID official stated that officers responsible for projects in Ukraine were ordered to halt all work.

The article states that organizations will have to halt all activities, including vital medical services, HIV/AIDS programs, nutrition, maternal and child health, agricultural work, support for civil society organizations, and education.

• U.S. President Donald Trump's decree to suspend foreign aid programs for 90 days does not apply to military aid to Ukraine, Kyiv says.