{"id":159372,"date":"2025-10-09T20:35:37","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T17:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/159372\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"cichanouskaja-were-unlikely-to-make-up-for-aid-shortfall-caused-by-new-us-policy","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/159372\/","title":{"rendered":"Cichano\u016dskaja: We\u2019re unlikely to make up for aid shortfall caused by new US policy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 9, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> European allies are now looking for a way to fill the huge funding gap Belarusian organizations have faced after the US stopped financing overseas civic initiatives, Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja told<\/a> DW <\/em>in an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, it will unlikely be possible to fully restore the volume that Belarusians have lost due to the new American policy,\u201d the opposition leader said, noting that US aid covered about half of the total support for Belarusian civil society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut we set out priorities. We thought a little bit about what could be slashed and what our key focuses are,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked whether the European Union, a major donor, must become the sole donor in this situation, Cichano\u016dskaja said, \u201cNo one owes anyone anything. Yes, the European Union understands that helping Belarusians is not mere charity\u2014it is an investment in democracy and in its own security. And therefore such investments will pay off many times over once our goals are achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The global suspension of American funding for civil society began in January with the start of Donald Trump\u2019s second presidential term and on his initiative. Among other things, Washington\u2019s new policy heavily impacted Belarusian organizations and media operating in exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"
\n

EU and Belarusian pro-democracy delegates meet in Brussels to discuss support mechanisms<\/h3>\n
October 8, Pozirk. Delegates from the Belarusian pro-democracy forces and European institutions met today in Brussels to \u201cdiscuss priorities for supporting Belarus,\u201d according to \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja\u2019s press office. The meeting was organized by the European Commission and the European External …<\/div>\n \n