US halts funding for investigations into abduction of Ukrainian children

The administration of US President Donald Trump has stopped funding a programme that documented Russian war crimes, including the systematic abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children. This is reported by The Washington Post.

The programme’s role in investigating crimes

This US-funded initiative gathered evidence of crimes against humanity, specifically by maintaining a detailed database on the illegal transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia. Documents collected under the project were used in international investigations and could serve as a basis for further legal proceedings.

Consequences of the decision

The suspension of funding puts at risk the work of organisations involved in identifying cases of forced deportation and searching for stolen children. It may also weaken the position of Ukraine and the international community in the fight to hold perpetrators accountable.