US reduces its aid to Pakistan to assist direct US propaganda in Ukraine
WASHINGTON: The United States has cut $10 million from its annual aid to Pakistan and will use it to carry out programming in the Ukrainian, Balkan, Russian, and Tatar language services of radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty and Voice of America.
The US reduced its $1.5 billion aid which it gives annually to Pakistan under the Kerry-Lugar-Berman bill.
The reduction came after the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee overwhelming passed a legislation of new financial assistance to Ukraine.
The legislation — HR 4278, the Ukraine Support Act — promotes Ukraine’s sovereignty and democratic institutions while sanctioning those who have sought to undermine its independence and stability.
“My reading of the bill (HR 4278) is that we’re actually taking money from the Pakistani aid budget and putting it into the Ukraine aid budget instead,” Congressman Alan Grayson said.
“In terms of that portion of the budget, I think it’s broadcasting in Pakistan that we’re taking the funds and applying it here,” the committee chairman Ed Royce said.
The bill now goes to the House of Representatives for further action.
