White House Wants to Cut Funding for War Crimes Investigations, Including Ukraine Programs

The White House budget office has recommended cutting US funding for nearly two dozen international programs that investigate war crimes. The programs at risk include projects aimed at identifying and prosecuting Russian military personnel accused of war crimes in Ukraine.

One of the threatened initiatives is run by Global Rights Compliance, which documents crimes against humanity in Ukraine, including sexual violence and torture, Reuters reported Thursday, citing internal documents and sources familiar with the matter.

Another is Legal Action Worldwide, which provides legal support to Ukrainian authorities investigating Russian troops suspected of war crimes.

The recommendation from the Office of Management and Budget is not final. The State Department can challenge the proposal. However, two US officials told Reuters that Secretary of State Marco Rubio is unlikely to push back on most of the cuts.

One source said Rubio may still try to preserve funding for the most critical programs, particularly those related to possible war crimes trials in Ukraine.

Since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, the US has frozen and later scaled back foreign aid.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID), which previously oversaw much of that funding, has been reorganized, with some responsibilities shifted to the State Department.

In February, Reuters reported that freezing aid programs had already disrupted efforts to help Ukraine investigate war crimes. Six major programs with a combined budget of $89 million were put on hold, resulting in dozens of staff losing their jobs.

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The recommended cuts come as other US efforts to support Ukraine face political uncertainty. On Wednesday, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sharply criticized the Trump administration for its plans to slash military assistance to Ukraine in the 2026 budget.

McConnell, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, said the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) has delivered a “massive return on investment” by helping Ukraine fight back against Russian aggression.

“Ukraine is fighting an adversary of the United States,” McConnell said in remarks on the Senate floor, adding that American support for Ukraine also strengthens US defense capabilities and prepares the country for future conflicts, including in the Indo-Pacific.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed this month that the Trump administration plans to reduce funding for Ukraine under USAI, saying the decision reflects a broader strategy to shift responsibility to NATO and pursue a diplomatic approach with Russia.

McConnell urged the administration to reconsider, warning that cutting aid to Ukraine and walking away from accountability efforts sends the wrong message to US adversaries.

“If America refuses to apply lessons from Ukraine elsewhere, we do so at grave risk to our own interests,” McConnell said.