USA shut down investigations into Russian atrocities in Ukraine - WP

According to the agency, the White House has cut the work of the Justice Department's team investigating Russian war crimes and canceled the program to seize the assets of Russian oligarchs who have been sanctioned.

According to two sources, Trump also cut the position of the coordinator of a group to collect intelligence on Russia's atrocities in Ukraine. This position was created by Congress on a bipartisan basis.

As three current and former US officials told WP, the interagency working group led by this coordinator has also been disbanded.

Experts believe that such actions signal to allies and adversaries that the role of the United States as a global voice for the rule of law is diminishing.

"It’s a very disturbing retreat from the U.S. commitment to holding accountable the perpetrators of war crimes and aggression, particularly in the bloodiest conflict that Europe has seen since World War II," said Eli Rosenbaum, former head of the US Department of Justice's War Crimes Unit, who retired in January 2024.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), to which the coordinator reported, did not comment.

Reduction of US aid

Last month, the United States suspended aid to Ukraine, as well as intelligence sharing. However, the supply of weapons was later resumed.

According to Western media reports, the Trump administration is not currently discussing the continuation of aid to Ukraine. The aid, which was approved under Joe Biden's presidency, is coming to an end.

After Donald Trump returned to the White House, the United States withdrew from the EU-led international group that was created to punish Moscow for violating international law during its invasion of Ukraine.

The US also suspended an initiative to find Ukrainian children deported by Russia.