**Trump Administration’s Foreign Aid Freeze Impacts Ukraine**
The Trump administration’s freeze on foreign aid has affected programs in Ukraine, according to Democratic Congressman Eugene Vindman. The freeze includes suspending US assistance in war crimes investigations and halting support for international experts.
Vindman made the comments at a Ukraine Week event in Washington, where he called on the administration to lift the restrictions. USAID, the primary foreign aid agency, has provided over $37 billion in support to Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion.
**Assistance Cuts Affect War Crimes Investigations and Infrastructure Rebuilding**
The cuts include suspending US assistance in war crimes investigations and halting support for international experts assisting in the process. Programs aimed at rebuilding Ukraine’s infrastructure and power grid, damaged after Russian attacks, have also been suspended.
USAID has provided significant aid to Ukraine, including $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support. The White House declared on February 3 that “under President Trump, the waste, fraud, and abuse ends now,” accusing USAID of misusing taxpayer funds.
**Consultations with European Partners to Replace US Assistance**
Ukraine’s parliamentary humanitarian and information policy committee has begun consultations with European partners to temporarily replace US assistance. Vindman, a former US Army officer, noted that the cuts come as Russia launches attacks on Ukraine.
**Other Developments**
Russia launched two ballistic missiles, 104 Shahed-type attack drones, and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, according to the Air Force. The British Foreign Secretary arrived in Kyiv on February 5 to discuss Ukrainian-British cooperation and Ukraine’s security.
Ukraine has lost 45,100 soldiers on the battlefield since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, President Volodymyr Zelensky said. Russia has been banned from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
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