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The United States has sharply reduced cybersecurity assistance to Ukraine, scaling back critical support that had been offered through multiple American agencies, Bloomberg reported on Friday.
According to officials familiar with the matter, the decision follows a broader funding crackdown led by former President Donald Trump, resulting in the termination of contracts involving technology specialists from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Security Agency (NSA), and U.S. Cyber Command. These experts had been helping Ukraine bolster its defenses against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, many of which have been attributed to Russian state-backed actors.
The withdrawal of American cyber expertise comes at a sensitive time for Ukraine, which continues to grapple with a wide range of threats targeting government systems, energy infrastructure, and communication networks. President Volodymyr Zelensky’s administration now faces the challenge of maintaining cybersecurity resilience largely on its own.
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Security analysts warn that the abrupt reduction in support could leave significant gaps in Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. “Cyberattacks are a crucial element of modern warfare, and cutting off direct assistance leaves Ukraine exposed to heightened risks,” one expert said.
While U.S. officials have emphasized continued political and military backing for Ukraine, this latest move underscores a shift in the nature of American involvement, particularly in less visible domains like cyber defense.
Neither the White House nor representatives from USAID, NSA, or Cyber Command have issued public comments regarding the decision.
The cuts are expected to raise concerns among NATO allies, who view Ukraine as a frontline state in the broader struggle against Russian aggression in Europe’s eastern flank. Analysts suggest that Kyiv will need to rapidly invest in its own cybersecurity resources or seek alternative partnerships to fill the void left by the U.S. withdrawal.
