US aid freeze halts support for prosecuting Russian war crimes, Ukraine's energy sector, lawmaker says

The Trump administration's foreign aid freeze impacted programs supporting the prosecution of Russian war crimes and the restoration of Ukraine's energy infrastructure after attacks, Ukraine-born Democratic Congressman Eugene Vindman said on Feb. 4, Ukrinform reported.

Vindman's comments come days after billionaire Elon Musk claimed he had President Donald Trump's approval to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

Shortly after taking office, the Trump administration effectively froze almost all foreign assistance for 90 days, halting USAID-funded projects worldwide while reviewing expenditures.

Speaking at the Ukraine Week event in Washington, Vindman noted that the cuts include suspending U.S. assistance in war crimes investigations and halting support for international experts assisting in the process.

Programs aimed at rebuilding Ukraine's infrastructure and power grid, damaged after Russian attacks, have also been suspended, Vindman said while calling on the administration to lift the restrictions.

USAID, the U.S. government's primary foreign aid agency, has provided over $37 billion in support to Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, including $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support.

The White House declared on Feb. 3 that "under President Trump, the waste, fraud, and abuse ends now," accusing USAID of misusing taxpayer funds on supposedly "ridiculous" projects. The listed "waste and abuse programs" did not include anything related to Ukraine.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been named interim USAID administrator, reinforcing rumors that the agency will be merged with the State Department.

In the meantime, Ukraine's parliamentary humanitarian and information policy committee has begun consultations with European partners to temporarily replace U.S. assistance.

Vindman, a former U.S. Army officer, gained prominence as a whistleblower in the 2019 scandal involving Trump's phone call with President Volodymyr Zelensky. In the call, Trump pressured Ukraine to launch an investigation into Joe Biden's family.

Vindman was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 6, 2024 — the same day Trump won the presidency and secured his return to the White House.