Some 400 calls for help went unanswered when the helpline at Ukraine’s Veteran Hub went silent for a week after key funding from the United States was abruptly cut last month. The Ukrainian NGO gets all sorts of calls. Some come from military families who have just found out their loved one was killed on the frontline. Some are from injured veterans who are struggling to cope with their return to civilian life or need help navigating the bureaucracy. And some calls can save lives. Kostyna and her colleagues had no choice but to shut the helpline down last month after receiving a stop-work order from the United States Department of State – a direct consequence of President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend nearly all US foreign aid. The freeze is already causing hardship across Ukraine, with lifesaving projects suddenly put on hold. Ukraine has been by far the biggest…
