“The EU cannot fill this gap left by others,” the European Commission told Euronews as disability NGOs seek emergency aid from Brussels after US President Donald Trump blocked international development projects.
Funding of international humanitarian aid, including to Ukrainians harmed by the Russian war of aggression, has been severely hit by the dismantling of USAID under the Trump White House, but the European Union cannot fill the gap, the European Commission has acknowledged.
NGOs supporting people with disabilities in the Balkans and Eastern Europe have seen their work disrupted due to the US decision to halt foreign aid funding. In response, these organisations are urging the EU to step in and provide essential financial support.
“From the EU perspective, our position as a major humanitarian donor remains unchanged,” a Commission spokesperson told Euronews. “We will not step back from our humanitarian commitments. Our aid will continue to save lives and alleviate suffering globally.”
However, the spokesperson warned that “the scale and complexity of current global needs requires a joint response”, adding: “Everyone in the international community must shoulder their responsibility. The funding gap is widening, leaving millions in need. The EU cannot fill this gap alone.”
Since taking office on 20 January, US President Donald Trump has temporarily frozen all foreign assistance and dismissed hundreds of employees at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency that works to improve health, reduce poverty, and promote human rights and democracy in lower-income countries.
The damage that these cuts will cause goes far beyond simple financing of projects, said Thomas Bignal, secretary general of the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities.
He added that the cuts would severely impact civil society organisations’ ability to provide essential support in the medium and long term, ultimately dismantling the support system itself.
Together with the European Disability Forum and organisations in Albania, Ukraine, and Georgia, among others, disability groups are urging the EU to step in and provide emergency funding to the affected NGOs.
“This chaos endangers the lives of persons with disabilities in Eastern Europe and South Caucasus. The EU must step up to save their lives and ensure that this absence of solidarity doesn’t open the doors for others to exploit their vulnerability,” said Gunta Anca, vice-president of the European Disability Forum.
They also ask the Commission to ensure disability inclusion is mainstreamed within all EU humanitarian aid and funding mechanisms and to influence national governments to increase their support in those regions.
Among the affected projects is League of the Strong, an organisation supporting people with disabilities in wartime in the Ukrainian regions of Chernihiv, Kirovohrad, and Kharkiv.
A US-funded programme had been allocated US$373,303 between 2024 and 2026 to assist 570 people in these regions, providing support ranging from assistive devices to digital training and legal aid.
Another programme, which was set to support 450 war veterans with disabilities in Ukraine starting in February, has also been paused due to a lack of alternative funding.
