Supporters say humanitarian initiatives can enhance the “soft power” of the United States, which can buy the goodwill and leverage of the United States with relatively small federal spending around the world. In 2023, U.S. Agency for International Development’s funding accounted for 0.07% of the U.S. federal budget. In 2021, it accounted for 0.04% before the Ukrainian War.
The broadside against Washington institutions has led some to doubt whether European governments or private donors will step in to pay for threatened initiatives.
Exiled Russian oil tycoon and Putin rival Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in a message on a telegram on Monday that he and his Russian compatriot Boris Zimin as humanitarian operations in Ukraine ” But he warned that they will not be able to fully assist all the grants.
Zselyke Csaky, a senior researcher at the European Reform Center, calculated that the United States spends about $2 billion a year on the Direct Democracy Promotion Program, including Direct State Department funds and U.S. Agency for International Development grants. She said that Europe costs about $4 billion and it takes about 50% extra to make up the difference.
“Honestly, I found this unlikely,” Ms Csaky said.
The direct problem, she said, is the speed of removal. “This is happening and I know a lot of organizations need to close,” she said.
“When responding to European countries, there may not be much ecosystem to save,” she said.
Edward Contributed from Bangkok Fanas Fanas From New York and Linda Qiu From Washington.
