US State Department Temporarily Halts Foreign Aid, Including to Ukraine – Politico

USAID officials were also told to halt projects related to Ukraine.

American aid to Ukraine has been frozen for three months. In 85 days, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will present a report to Donald Trump indicating whether it is advisable for Washington to resume support for Kyiv, Politico reports .

It is noted that the “stop work orders” apply to aid to all countries except Israel and Egypt.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a new order that halts funding for most current foreign aid programs for 90 days. The order, which came as a surprise to State Department officials, includes military aid to Ukraine .

The order, sent to all diplomatic and consular posts, requires agency employees to comply with “stop-work orders” on nearly all “existing foreign assistance programs,” as the document describes them. It goes into effect immediately.

USAID has also suspended projects to support Ukraine, including schools and medical aid, Reuters reports .

Among the initiatives that have been frozen are reportedly school support programs, health care provision including emergency care for mothers and child vaccinations.

“A USAID official, who asked to remain anonymous, said officers responsible for projects in Ukraine had been ordered to stop all work,” the agency writes.

The order expands on a recent executive order from President Donald Trump that directed the State Department to suspend foreign aid grants for 90 days pending review by the secretary of state. It was not previously clear whether the president’s order applied to funds already approved or to aid to Ukraine.

The new order means funding for programs already approved by the U.S. government will be suspended. One department official said:

“The order came as a shock to some State Department officials because of its scope. The State Department just went full-on overdrive on foreign aid.”

However, the document allows for certain exceptions. It says that funding for military aid to Egypt and Israel will continue, and also allows for emergency food aid and coverage of “legitimate expenses incurred prior to the date of this” order “under existing programs.”

The suspension affects key allies such as Ukraine, Jordan and Taiwan, according to one current State Department official and two former Biden administration officials.

The order could expose the U.S. government to civil liability through lawsuits over unfulfilled contracts if the terms of the programs are violated, officials added.

The document says that “decisions to continue, modify, or terminate programs will be made after review” by the secretary of state.

The State Department is expected to issue a report within 85 days of the order’s issuance, which will include Rubio’s recommendation to Trump on which foreign aid programs should continue and which should be terminated.

Suspension of US aid

A few days ago it became known that the new US President Donald Trump suspended all US aid programs to foreign countries for 3 months. It was noted that the aid would be stopped until an inspection was conducted for “compliance with the objectives of Trump’s policy.”

The Pentagon assured that Trump’s order to suspend the provision of international support for 90 days does not apply to military aid programs for Ukraine .

(C)UNIAN 2025