Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State, has announced a 90-day freeze on nearly all foreign aid programs, effectively halting both military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. The only exceptions to this freeze are military support programs for Israel and Egypt. „It seems we are withdrawing from our commitments to partners worldwide,” warned Democratic lawmakers.
As reported by AP and other outlets, Rubio issued a memorandum to employees of the State Department and USAID, instructing them to pause work on nearly all foreign aid programs for 90 days. The freeze will allow the administration to assess whether these programs align with U.S. foreign policy objectives.
Aid to Ukraine Suspended
Notably, Rubio’s directive goes beyond the executive order signed by President Trump on his first day in office, which had suspended U.S. development aid. This new mandate covers all State Department and USAID programs. For Ukraine, this means a complete halt to military and humanitarian assistance, as well as the suspension of training programs for Ukrainian soldiers.
Most of these programs are overseen by the State Department, with the exception of financial aid channeled through the World Bank. However, this freeze raises serious concerns. For example, if Ukraine’s energy infrastructure were to suffer further damage from Russian missile strikes, the U.S. would be unable to provide immediate aid to prevent Ukrainians from freezing during the winter.
The suspension has sparked alarm among Democratic lawmakers, who argue that it undermines U.S. commitments to its allies, particularly Ukraine, at a critical moment in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
