U.S. State Department Moves to Loosen Trump’s Aid Freeze for Ukraine

Senior State Department officials are working on a plan to expand exemptions to President Donald Trump’s foreign aid freeze, potentially unlocking economic and security-related assistance for Ukraine, Politico reported on February 26.

If implemented, these waivers would go beyond those already approved by Secretary of State Marco Rubio for “core life-saving” aid, such as demining operations and narcotics control programs, according to a State Department official and other sources familiar with the discussions.

It remains unclear whether the exemptions would extend to foreign military financing, a crucial source of U.S. support for Ukraine’s armed forces.

According to Politico, Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Congress has approved more than $4 billion in such funding, covering everything from Javelin missiles to secure communication equipment. However, much of this money has already been allocated under multi-year contracts, making it difficult to determine how much is still available.

Even if new waivers are approved, there’s no guarantee that aid will reach Kyiv. Existing exemptions for humanitarian assistance have already faced significant bureaucratic hurdles, preventing funds from reaching their intended recipients.

The internal push to carve out more Ukraine aid waivers reflects growing divisions within Trump’s administration over U.S. policy toward Kyiv, the publication reads.

When asked about the Ukraine waivers, the State Department declined to provide specifics, stating only that “programs that serve our nation’s interests will continue. However, programs that aren’t aligned with our national interest will not.”

Despite the exemptions being discussed, many aid programs remain frozen due to a slow-moving bureaucratic process. Organizations that believe they qualify for waivers have struggled to get their funding restored or even determine which office to contact for assistance, Politico reported.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s ranking member, Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), has urged Secretary Rubio to prioritize exemptions for Ukraine, warning that the freeze is having devastating consequences.

Earlier, the Ukrainian parliament was seeking alternatives to USAID  funding as a potential pause could last up to six months, according to Ukraine’s Parliamentary Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy.