Programs for Ukraine funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are at risk while Congress delays the approval of additional security assistance for Ukraine, agency chief Samantha Power told reporters in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 24.
An aid package worth $61 billion has been tied up in Congress for months due to obstruction from Republican legislators.
Power told Voice of America that the funding delay threatens USAID projects aimed at integrating Ukraine's railways into the European rail network and protecting Ukrainian farmers, among other humanitarian programs.
"I would say that all of our programs are at risk," she said.
Power said that USAID has provided assistance to 32% of farmers in Ukraine, helping them continue their work amid constant Russian attacks. She said this was a long-term investment that served the interests of both the U.S. and Ukraine, leading to "less direct budget support" in the future.
"There are many parts of the world that are starving," Power said.
"But Ukrainian farmers have continued to work, they are ready to overcome the problems with unexploded ordnance, to rebuild their farm or their small business after the destruction. And we want to make sure that they continue to have access to low-interest loans, to resources."
Power also mentioned USAID programs that address Ukraine's most vulnerable populations, including people who lost their homes in Russian strikes and those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) brought on by the war.
"The idea that we won't be able to support them in their hour of greatest need is a very dark thought indeed," she said.
USAID has provided $9.88 billion in development and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to the agency.
Kate Tsurkan
(Updated: )
