Trump Administration Cut $283 Million in Ukraine War Crimes Aid, Impacting Investigations and Child Search
The Trump administration cut over $283 million in US funding for Ukraine's war crimes investigations and efforts to find deported children. These cuts, starting in early 2025, led to stalled cases and program terminations. The EU and Britain have pledged to continue support, but replacing US aid and expertise will be difficult.
The United States under Donald Trump significantly reduced funding for Ukraine's investigations into Russian war crimes, with the full impact now becoming clear. Washington began cutting aid in early 2025 and continued to do so, leading to layoffs, stalled cases, and curtailed efforts to locate deported children.
The Trump administration cut tens of millions of dollars as part of its «America First» aid freeze. Reuters tracked over $283 million earmarked for Ukraine accountability since 2022, finding that programs worth at least 40% of this amount have been terminated or expired. USAID was shut down, and a $62 million program to strengthen Ukraine's justice system ended, halting a plan to rebuild a war-destroyed courthouse.
The cuts also severely impacted efforts to find Ukraine's missing children. Ukraine accuses Russia of over 20,500 deportations or forced transfers, while Yale researchers estimate 35,000, with just over 2,000 returned. The Yale lab, which traced children to over 200 sites, will run out of funds in August after the State Department withheld about $8 million.
Despite these cuts, the EU and Britain have pledged continued support. The EU committed tens of millions of euros for a special tribunal and child protection, and Britain added funds to trace deported children. Officials warn that replacing the lost US aid and expertise will be challenging.