The administration of US President Donald Trump has decided to cut and suspend funding for a number of government agencies and programs, including the protection of Ukraine from Russian cyberattacks. This was reported by Bloomberg, reports UNN.
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Over the past five years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has committed more than $200 million to cybersecurity assistance to Ukraine alone. The National Security Agency and the US Cyber Command have also provided assistance. It is critical to helping the country prevent and recover from Russian cyberattacks on government websites, telecommunications companies, and critical infrastructure, including energy suppliers, amid the Russian-Ukrainian war.
However, after Trump's inauguration and the creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by Elon Musk, there was a reduction in relevant programs.
Cutting cybersecurity support for Ukraine will weaken the country's digital fronts, making it an "easy target" for Russia, cyber experts say. Bloomberg journalists contacted the White House, as well as the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine and the US National Security Agency, for comment.
Donald Trump's administration said all foreign aid programs are under review to meet the priorities of the US president. At the same time, the SSSCIP and the NSA did not comment on the situation.