Politico recently published an intriguing report that details new directions from the freshly appointed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. Contrary to earlier communications, it appears that yesterday’s executive order from President Trump indeed intends to halt foreign aid to Ukraine.
On Friday, Secretary Rubio unexpectedly paused spending on the majority of existing foreign aid grants for a duration of 90 days. This decision took many State Department officials by surprise, as it seemingly includes a halt on military assistance funding for Ukraine.
The guidance Rubio issued, directed towards all diplomatic and consular posts, instructs department personnel to administer “stop-work orders” on almost all ongoing foreign assistance agreements, as reported in a document obtained by Politico. This directive is to be implemented immediately.
Politico’s report suggests there may be some confusion or miscommunication within the State Department, given that this move contradicts previous statements.
Under the new guidance, no further aid funds will be distributed to programs that the U.S. government had already approved, as confirmed by several current and former officials familiar with the directive.
Interestingly, Rubio has consistently shown strong support for Ukraine and has generally taken a hawkish stance, making this turn of events rather unexpected. However, President Trump has recently been vocal about leveraging pressure on Ukraine to pursue some form of peace initiative.
