U.S. diplomats have appealed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to grant Ukraine an exemption from the 90-day foreign aid freeze and "shutdown" order. If denied, programs supporting schools, hospitals, and the development of economic and energy infrastructure in Ukraine could be disrupted.
This was reported by The Financial Times citing documents and sources familiar with the situation.
Citing national security concerns, diplomats from the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs called for USAID activities in Ukraine to be excluded from the directive, which went into effect immediately after it was issued.
"At this point, we do not know whether this request will be approved - in whole or in part - but there are positive signals coming from Washington," a USAID representative in Ukraine said in an e-mail.
While the waiver request is being reviewed, USAID has temporarily suspended the issuance of stop-work orders. At the same time, staff have been instructed to evaluate programs and find ways to more effectively support the Secretary of State's new policy.
Nevertheless, some organizations in Kyiv have already received work stoppage orders. One of the documents requires contractors to immediately suspend their contracts until they receive written permission to resume.
In an internal order sent to the State Department and USAID on Friday, Marco Rubio ordered the suspension of all new foreign aid payments. Employees were also ordered to "immediately issue stop-work orders" until the audit is completed, which could take up to 85 days.
The decision jeopardizes hundreds of foreign aid contracts totaling more than $70 billion.
Officials and nongovernmental organizations warn that without the State Department's approval, programs such as support for schools, hospitals, and the development of economic and energy infrastructure in Ukraine could be disrupted.
Ukraine is also not on the list of "approved exceptions" for military funding and foreign food aid.
According to U.S. State Department statistics, the United States has provided nearly $66 billion in military aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Author: Danylo Pievchev