The United States has froze all the foreign aids for several countries, including Ukraine on Friday but Israel and Turkey are exempted.
An internal directive from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, issued shortly after President Donald Trump‘s inauguration, emphasised an “America First” approach to overseas assistance, AFP reported.
“No new funds shall be obligated for new awards or extensions of existing awards until each proposed new award or extension has been reviewed and approved,” stated the internal memo obtained by AFP.
According to the memo, the exceptions were only meant for emergency food, and military funding for Israel and Egypt.
This comprehensive directive impacts various aid categories, including development and military support, notably affecting Ukraine, which had received substantial weapons funding under the previous Biden administration during its defence against Russian forces.
The suspension also halts US funding for PEPFAR, the HIV/AIDS programme providing anti-retroviral treatments in developing nations, particularly across Africa.
PEPFAR, established during George W Bush’s presidency in 2003, has preserved approximately 26 million lives and previously maintained broad bipartisan backing in Washington.
The directive specifically excludes military aid to Israel, whose US arms support has increased since the Gaza conflict, and Egypt, a recipient of substantial US defence funding since its 1979 peace agreement with Israel.
Rubio included provisions for US emergency food aid contributions, which have supported crisis-affected regions including Sudan and Syria.
Democratic legislators highlighted that PEPFAR supports over 20 million individuals requiring medication, whilst US-funded anti-malaria initiatives assist 63 million people.
