Trump Administration Cuts $283 Million Ukraine War-Crimes Aid, Terminating Over 40% of Programs
Updated
Updated · Reuters · May 31
Trump Administration Cuts $283 Million Ukraine War-Crimes Aid, Terminating Over 40% of Programs
5 articles · Updated · Reuters · May 31
Reuters found programs accounting for at least 40% of more than $283 million in U.S. funding for Ukraine war-crimes work since 2022 were terminated or allowed to expire after Trump paused foreign aid in January 2025.
The cuts have forced groups to lay off staff, halt evidence archiving and training, and stop foreign experts from traveling to Ukraine, weakening already strained efforts to investigate more than 230,000 alleged war-crimes cases.
A $62 million USAID justice-system program was scrapped, while Yale’s lab tracking deported children said it will run out of money in August after about $8 million was withheld; State has launched one new program worth up to $25 million.
Ukraine had secured 252 war-crimes convictions by April 1, but officials and legal experts said lost U.S. support will be hard to replace even as the EU and Britain add funding for tribunals, child tracing and victim support.
How will Ukraine prosecute 230,000 war crimes cases without American funding and expertise?
What happens to thousands of abducted Ukrainian children as U.S.-funded tracking projects shut down?
As the U.S. retreats from global justice, who will fill the void and redefine international law?
U.S. Withdrawal in 2025 Cripples Ukraine’s War Crimes Investigations and Child Recovery Efforts
Overview
In 2025, the U.S. made major policy changes that sharply reduced its support for international justice efforts in Ukraine. The Trump administration disbanded the Justice Department group helping Ukraine investigate war crimes and withdrew from an international team collecting evidence against Russian leaders. These actions, along with the elimination of a key State Department unit and sanctions on International Criminal Court officials, left Ukraine more isolated and weakened its ability to gather evidence and build legal cases. As a result, Ukraine’s pursuit of justice for war crimes became much harder, with less international support and fewer resources.