**U.S. Aid Freeze Hits Ukraine’s War Crime Efforts**
The U.S. government’s freeze on foreign funding is affecting international efforts to hold Russia accountable for war crimes in Ukraine.
Since Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian prosecutors have recorded over 140,000 Russian war crimes, including attacks on civilians and cultural sites.
Six U.S.-funded projects at the Prosecutor General‘s Office are now at risk. The projects, worth $89 million, were working on issues like preserving evidence from battlefields to anti-corruption initiatives.
The freeze has already stopped funding for five of these projects, with payment disruptions reported. Two of the projects were funded by USAID, three by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and one by the U.S. State Department.
A total of $47 million was allocated directly to prosecute Russian war crimes.
**Experts Halt Work**
Almost 40 experts at Georgetown University‘s International Criminal Justice Initiative have stopped working due to the funding freeze. The ACA group had provided expertise and oversight to Ukrainian authorities and sent more than 150 experienced experts to help prosecutors.
The U.S.-funded projects were crucial in helping Ukraine hold Russia accountable for war crimes.
**Background**
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 90-day freeze on foreign assistance has affected programs worldwide, including those funded by USAID.
Trump’s administration is reportedly planning to eliminate most positions at USAID. A billionaire and former head of the Department of Government Effectiveness (DOGE) called USAID “a criminal organization.”
**Ukraine Responds**
The Ukrainian government is responding to the crisis by offering benefits to volunteers aged 18-24, including a $24,000 annual salary.
Ukrainian companies’ stock price index on the Warsaw Stock Exchange has risen by almost 25% in recent days.
**Leaders Meet**
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President JD Vance are expected to meet during the Munich Security Conference later this week.
European countries are drafting new legislation that would enable potential seizures of Russian oil tankers on legal grounds.
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