U.S. Ends Support for Ukraine’s Energy Grid Restoration, NBC Reports

The State Department has ended a major USAID initiative that invested hundreds of millions in restoring Ukraine’s energy grid, which has suffered repeated Russian attacks, according to USAID officials as reported by NBC.

The decision, part of a broader downsizing of USAID’s presence in Ukraine, leaves only eight U.S. personnel in the country out of 64. Officials warn this could leave Ukraine’s grid vulnerable as winter continues and Russian missile strikes persist.

“It significantly undercuts this administration’s ability to negotiate a ceasefire and signals to Russia that we don’t care about Ukraine or our past investments,” a USAID official told NBC News.

In addition, the State Department has ordered the termination of a financial sector reform program, raising concerns over oversight of U.S. aid. One official warned, “We won’t have the eyes on where this money has gone over the last few years.”

Earlier, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Ukraine received instructions to halt all projects and related expenditures. The directive follows an order from the US State Department to pause international aid programs for a 90-day audit.