**Trump‘s Aid Freeze Leaves Independent Ukrainian Media Stranded**
In his first week in office, US President Donald Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on foreign aid to review its distribution. This decision affects many countries, including Ukraine.
**Aid to Ukraine**
Ukraine has been receiving significant funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) since the full-scale war began in 2022. The aid was used for various projects, such as democracy support, humanitarian relief, and local community development.
**Independent Media in Ukraine**
The aid played a crucial role in supporting independent media in Ukraine. These outlets relied heavily on foreign government grants to survive, as they were unable to adapt to the digital age like their wealthier counterparts.
**Impact of the Freeze**
When Trump’s order was implemented, Ukrainian organizations receiving US aid received letters telling them to stop all activities and not incur any new costs. This effectively froze their operations, even halting the use of already disbursed funds.
Independent media outlets were among the hardest hit, as they relied on foreign funding to operate. Many were forced to stop most of their operations immediately, while others are uncertain whether funding will resume once the 90-day freeze ends.
**A Healthy Society Needs Free Media**
A healthy society cannot exist without free media, and a functional democracy depends on it. Genuine journalism is more essential than ever in a world plagued by disinformation.
**What You Can Do to Help**
You can donate to Ukrainian media impacted by the aid freeze. Several organizations are listed below:
* Tsukr: An independent local media outlet in Sumy, northern Ukraine.
* Gwara Media: An independent local news site in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city.
* Bihus.Info: An investigative journalism platform dedicated to uncovering corruption.
* Ukrainska Pravda: Ukraine’s largest independent news site.
* Ukrainer: A platform sharing stories about Ukraine’s culture, history, and society.
You can support these organizations through various means, such as one-time donations or Patreon subscriptions.