Trump directs US withdrawal from dozens of international organizations, including one from Ukraine
Photo: US President Donald Trump (flickr.com)
US President Donald Trump has signed a memorandum directing the United States to withdraw from 66 international organizations that are contrary to US interests, according to the White House website.
The Memorandum directs all executive departments and agencies to cease participation in and funding for 35 non-UN organizations and 31 UN bodies that are contrary to US national interests, security, economic prosperity, or sovereignty.
Under Trump's order, the US will withdraw, among others, from the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats, the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law, the Venice Commission, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, and the International Renewable Energy Agency.
The list also includes the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals.
The document also mentions Ukraine.
The US will withdraw from the Science and Technology Center in Ukraine, an international organization established in the early 1990s during Ukraine's nuclear and chemical disarmament.
The center was created to prevent the proliferation of knowledge, technologies, and materials related to weapons of mass destruction.
Venice Commission
The Venice Commission is an advisory body of the Council of Europe on constitutional law. Its official title is the European Commission for Democracy through Law.
It provides legal opinions on draft constitutions, laws, and reforms, assessing their compliance with European standards of democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.
For Ukraine, the Venice Commission is of key importance, as its recommendations have repeatedly been used during constitutional amendments, judicial, electoral, and anti-corruption reforms, as well as in the country's European integration process.
The Commission's opinions serve as a benchmark for the Ukrainian authorities and international partners and influence how reforms are assessed by the European Union and the Council of Europe.
International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals
This is a UN-established body created to continue the work of former international tribunals—most notably those for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda—after their formal closure.
The mechanism performs residual functions, including handling appeals, reviewing cases involving individuals not previously convicted, and preserving archives, investigative materials, and judgments.
It supports justice and accountability for serious war crimes and crimes against humanity, even after the main tribunals have officially terminated their work.
During Donald Trump's second term, the US had already decided to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Trump's administration also suspended financial aid to non-governmental organizations worldwide through the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
