Crippling effects of Trump's foreign aid freeze

And how you can help Ukraine survive Trump's 90-day pause on foreign aid.

My first trip to the eastern city of Kramatorsk was in late 2021, months before the full-scale invasion. My colleagues and I were on a work road trip around Donbas, not knowing that many of the places we were visiting — Avdiivka, Vuhledar, Mariupol — would soon be eviscerated by the Russians. We were reporting on the local civil society, and how front-line communities built humanitarian initiatives near the Russian-occupied Donbas. It was then that I first realized the incredible power of American money, specifically, the U.S. Agency for International Development.

My first impression of Kramatorsk was grim. The city was quiet, gray, and sad (though much of that can be attributed to November). The vibe changed completely when we met our source, a driven mother in her thirties, and stepped into her art studio. It was a bright and colorful co-working space where children could come to do arts and crafts, including sewing, as part of a class or independently. Tucked inside the Soviet-era apartment buildings, you couldn’t fail to notice just how different that space was from its surroundings, how much of a breath of fresh air it was, an opportunity in a place that doesn’t have many. You also couldn’t not notice the USAID stickers. Much of the stuff that kept the place running — from sewing machines to a 3D printer — was bought with American money from USAID.

Last week, on his first day in office, President Trump ordered a 90-day pause and a review of all foreign assistance, including all USAID programs. Three months may not seem that long, but the decision sent shockwaves across the parts of the world that rely on this funding, including Ukraine. Many organizations are now scrambling to save their operations, worried that the money will never come back.

USAID is one of the mechanisms that has kept Ukraine running during the full-scale invasion, and I mean that literally: billions of dollars have gone towards direct budget support, to pay state workers’ salaries and keep public services running.

Billions more have gone towards countless projects in agriculture, energy, arts, media, healthcare, anti-corruption, and other fields, as well as to support veterans, internally displaced Ukrainians, and other vulnerable communities impacted by Russia’s war.

The Ukrainian government strangely dismissed the panic. Zelensky said the military aid hasn’t been impacted, adding that he doesn’t deal with humanitarian projects and “doesn’t see this (USAID) money” (an absurd reaction, given that even the first lady’s mental health initiative was supported by USAID). The Ministry of Social Policy said the pause “isn’t critical” because they have other international funders.

Yet civil society undeniably felt an effect.

Veteran Hub, a large network that provides legal and mental health support to veterans and their families, announced it was indefinitely halting its crisis hotline and its operations in one Ukrainian city directly as a result of Trump’s decision.

“Since 2018, we have refrained from public fundraising because we believe that donations are primarily needed for the army. Today we are forced to publicly ask for support for the first time,” the foundation said in a statement.

My media bubble is similarly anxious. There isn’t an exact number of how many outlets rely on USAID, but as one media expert put it, the vast majority of outlets Ukrainians “aren’t ashamed of” — respectable outlets — “will suffer”.

Ukraïner, a media project famous for its in-depth reporting and expeditions all around Ukraine, said that it will have to restructure its operations in light of Trump’s order.

“We will no longer be able to make a series of war reports…because they are very expensive to produce. We will be able to continue the format of studio interviews for some time, integrating advertising and inviting more and more (famous) people instead of discovering more little-known names… the coming months will be difficult” said the media’s founder Bogdan Logvynenko.

Investigative outlets BIHUS.Info and Slidstvo.Info, veterans of Ukraine’s anti-corruption reporting, posted similar statements. Slidstvo said that American money covered 80% of its budget, and it is now looking for public support.

These are only a fraction of the public outcry in the last few days.

If the funding doesn’t come back, a part of Ukraine’s media sector might struggle to survive. Some outlets will inevitably revert to poorer standards, getting money from shady advertisers (online casinos, for instance). Some will have to rely on state or oligarch money, making themselves vulnerable to editorial interference. Some will find ways to persevere, but it will be extremely hard, especially for small and upcoming outlets.

The State Department said it was reviewing all programs to determine if they are “consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda.” I don’t know where Ukraine’s investigative journalists, veterans, children, and IDPs land on Trump’s priorities list, but my guess is: not very high.

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Here’s a short list of media outlets you can support to help Ukraine’s civil society survive:

Ukraïner

Fantastic reporting about Ukraine, its people, places, and culture in many languages, including English.

All donations information here. If you want to join their advisory council and contribute $1000/month, email their founder Bogdan at bogdan@ukrainer.ua.

Follow their work in English on Instagram and YouTube, or buy incredible books about Ukraine from their publishing house.

BIHUS.Info

This is an outlet so important to Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts that Ukraine’s State Security Service was caught surveilling the group in an effort to discredit them.

Of course, the government failed, and BIHUS published an insane investigation about the whole affair — watch it here with English subtitles.

Subscribe to their Patreon or make a one-time donation on their website. They have a crypto option too.

Slidstvo.Info

Another prominent investigative outlet.

Follow their anti-corruption work in English here.

Check out their Support page here.

TEXTY

This is an amazing data journalism project that investigates Russian war crimes, among other things, and makes very cool infographics. A good chunk of their work is available in English.

All donations info is here.

Hromadske

One of Ukraine’s most popular news outlets that was born during the Revolution of Dignity in 2014.

Their work is available in English.

All donations info is here.

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This list is by no means exhaustive. If there is a specific issue you care about and want to support in Ukraine, reach out, and I’ll try my best to recommend you trustworthy initiatives.

Cheers, and Glory to Ukraine,

— Yours Ukrainian