The United States Agency for International Development announced Monday and Tuesday a total of $750 million in new aid to Ukraine, with $500 million earmarked for humanitarian aid and $250 million to support the country’s farmers after Russia refused to extend a Black Sea grain deal.
Agency chief Samantha Power announced the new humanitarian aid on Monday during a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, hours after Moscow left a grain deal that allowed tens of millions of tons of Ukrainian grain to reach the world. Markets across the Black Sea. The move sent grain prices tumbling on world markets and raised fears of worsening global food insecurity.
“This is yet another example of Russia’s ruthlessness and disregard for human life and livelihoods,” Ms Power said in Kyiv. “Not only here in Ukraine but all over the world.”
The new funds will provide food aid, health and sanitation care and emergency shelter, the agency said, and bring U.S. humanitarian support to Ukraine to $2.6 billion, not counting $475 million in emergency funds that helped with repairs and maintenance. Ukraine heating and power systems.
Ms. Power continued her visit to Ukraine with a stop in Odesa on Tuesday, when USAID announced that $250 million in new aid would be added to the Agricultural Resilience Initiative-Ukraine, a program USAID begins in July 2022. Both government and private sector.
The new funds bring to $350 billion the US government’s support for the agriculture program, which supports critical border, agricultural and port infrastructure, as well as financing for small and medium agricultural businesses.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ms. Power said USAID is working with the Ukrainian government and farmers to find and expand alternative routes for their agricultural exports and to “assess what changes could be made not only in Ukraine but in Ukraine in terms of ports on the Danube, roads.” Transshipment, or rail, but also in other nearby countries.”