More than 100 Ukrainian cultural and media organisations have been left without financial support following the suspension of USAID programmes. According to El País, this decision particularly affected independent media outlets such as Bihus.Info and Slidstvo.Info, where the share of US aid exceeded 80%.
Read also: Ukraine is looking for ways to replace USAID aid
Other media outlets also report financial difficulties. In particular, Hromadske asked its readers for support due to the suspension of grant projects.
USAID has traditionally been one of the largest donors to Ukraine. Since the beginning of the war, the country has received more than €34 billion through the agency, of which €16.5 billion is due in 2023. For comparison, the average amount of assistance provided by USAID to other countries is €545 million per year.
The suspension of funding was the result of the decision by the administration of US President Donald Trump to conduct a 90-day audit of international aid programmes to assess their effectiveness and alignment with US foreign policy. This decision affected not only the media, but also other critical projects in Ukraine, including support for schools and medical care.
Read also: USAID Office in Ukraine to suspend funding for all projects
