One Year Later: Helping Ukraine Win the War and Win the Peace

How USAID has stood side by side with Ukraine to help meet the urgent needs of its citizens while laying the groundwork for a robust recovery from the war

President Biden, during his visit to Kyiv on Feb. 20, stood shoulder-to-shoulder with President Zelenskyy and affirmed the United States’ unwavering and unflagging commitment to Ukraine’s democracy, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

During the 12 months since Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine and its people have inspired the world with their determined defense of their country.

Ukrainians — despite the shock of the full-scale invasion, the anxiety of living under constant air raids, the horror of atrocities committed by Russia’s forces in occupied territories, and the war’s economic deprivations — are determined not only to win the war, but to win the peace by continuing to advance as a sovereign, independent, democratic, and prosperous society.

USAID is committed to helping Ukraine succeed in this heroic effort. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war one year ago, USAID has focused on meeting Ukraine’s urgent needs while continuing to help lay the foundation for a vibrant postwar future.

Winter 2021–2022: Russia Brings War to Ukraine

Video by Makysm Marchenko for USAID; GIF by Nic Corbett, USAID

On Feb. 24, 2022 the Russian Federation further violated Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity — as well as international law — by deepening its invasion of Ukraine. As Ukraine’s government and people fought for survival, USAID rushed to respond to humanitarian needs on the ground.

• Feb. 24, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) on the very first day of the invasion, to lead the U.S. humanitarian response to Ukraine.
• Immediately after the full-scale invasion, USAID urgently shifted existing assistance to meet Ukraine’s needs. All of our more than 40 programs continued operating, pivoting their support to respond to the emergency situation on the ground.
• During the last week of February, we delivered 644 satellite photos and 250 internet data terminals for the Government of Ukraine and critical infrastructure operators. This vital cybersecurity support helped the country secure its communications networks.

Spring 2022: Meeting Needs on the Ground

USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance has helped deliver food assistance to more than 2 million people per month. / USAID

The Kremlin responded to Ukrainian resistance with even more brutality. The atrocities in Bucha in March indicated the kind of war the Kremlin intended to fight against Ukraine. In response, USAID doubled down on adapting and expanding our assistance: not just rushing humanitarian supplies to those most in need, but also helping Ukraine’s government continue to function.

• At the beginning of March, USAID delivered the first shipment of flak jackets and helmets to reporters and media organizations so they could report on the terrible impacts of the war. So far, we have delivered more than 1,800 sets of helmets and flak jackets to Ukraine’s journalists.
• On March 16, Ukraine successfully synchronized with the European energy grid as a result of long term USAID support, increasing its energy security in the face of Kremlin attacks.
• In March, anticipating the impact of the war on domestic and global food security, USAID began delivering emergency assistance to more than 13,600 farmers across Ukraine, eventually reaching nearly 30% of the country’s registered agriculture enterprises.

Left: Ambassador Bridget Brink visits a USAID-supported temporary shelter for internally-displaced Ukrainians. Center: USAID delivered more than 1,800 sets of helmets and flak jackets to Ukraine’s journalists. Right: USAID partners with SpaceX to deliver 5,000 Starlink internet data terminals. / USAID

• In April, USAID provided the first tranche of U.S. direct budget support to the Government of Ukraine, critical funding for basic public services like healthcare, education, and emergency response. To date, we have provided a total of $13 billion in direct budget support (with $9.9 billion more to come), helping the Government of Ukraine pay the salaries of 618,000 educators, 517,000 health workers, and 56,500 first responders.
• In April, USAID delivered 5,000 Starlink terminals to the Government of Ukraine through a partnership with SpaceX, providing internet connectivity to citizens, government officials, and critical infrastructure operators through outages caused by Russia’s strikes.
• During the spring, we launched grant programs to help Ukrainian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continue to operate and create jobs, supporting more than 4,700 SMEs in manufacturing, information technology, and agriculture, and helping Ukraine create or retain more than 55,000 jobs to date.

Summer 2022: Getting the Grain Out and Preparing for Winter

USAID has helped more than 13,600 farmers continue growing food for domestic and international markets. / USAID

As the war continued, USAID continued to adapt its programming to address two critical issues: Ukraine’s ability to export food to world markets, and its ability to withstand the impacts of the coming winter.

• In July, USAID launched the AGRI-Ukraine initiative. Through this $100 million initiative, USAID is partnering with the private sector to help farmers store, transport, and export their harvests despite wartime conditions. Since July, USAID has supported Ukraine to continue exporting grain under the UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, enabling Ukraine to resume shipping millions of tons of grain to people around the world.
• During the summer, USAID started delivering generators to communities across Ukraine to prepare for heat and power outages in the coming winter. In total, USAID has delivered more than 2,000 generators to schools, hospitals, shelters for internally-displaced persons, water utilities, and critical infrastructure providers.

Fall 2022: Ukraine Fights Back

Left: USAID delivered 53 million doses of PEPFAR-funded antiretrovirals to provide life-saving treatment to people living with HIV. Center: USAID has delivered heating pipes and other equipment to keep heat and hot water flowing to 7 million Ukrainians. Right: USAID grants have helped more than 4,700 Ukrainian small and medium enterprises create or retain more than 55,000 jobs. / USAID; KyivTeploEnergo

As Ukraine’s armed forces began to turn the tide on the battlefield, liberating large swathes of territory in Kharkiv region in September and Kherson region in November, USAID rushed assistance to help people recover from Russia’s occupation.

• Since Nov. 14, the first day of its liberation, USAID has supported Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to rapidly distribute medicines and supplies to Kherson.
• USAID has delivered more than 150 generators to provide electricity and heating to liberated communities in Kherson.
• USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance partners have delivered food, medicines, and safe drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people in Kherson.

At the same time, USAID continued helping Ukraine prepare for the coming winter, delivering energy repair equipment, including heating pipes for Kyiv’s main heating utility to restore heat and hot water to 22,000 people who had lost access due to Russia’s strikes.

Winter 2022–2023: Ukraine Stands Strong

USAID has delivered more than 2,000 power generators to schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure across Ukraine. / USAID

As winter approached, the Kremlin focused its fire on critical infrastructure, including Ukraine’s electricity and heating systems. USAID ramped up deliveries of energy repair equipment and generators. USAID also delivered heaters, fuel, and blankets to help Ukrainians survive the harsh winter. At the same time, we continued to invest in long-term development programming aimed at laying the groundwork for Ukraine’s robust recovery from the war.

• In November, USAID partnered with the U.S. Development Finance Corporation on a $15 million, 10-year loan portfolio guarantee with Bank Lviv. This guarantee provides much-needed access to finance for micro-, small-, and medium-sized businesses in the region that will help restart Ukraine’s economy and provide needed jobs for the Ukrainian people.
• In late 2022, USAID delivered 60 excavators to repair and maintain heating pipes in 48 Ukrainian cities, including in areas where infrastructure has been severely damaged by Russia’s strikes.
• In February 2023, USAID delivered a 28 megawatt mobile power generator large enough to power more than 100,000 Ukrainian homes at any given time; 12 transformers to restore the operations of four electricity substations in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions; and over 46 kilometers of steel heating pipes to restore damaged heating systems in 23 cities across Ukraine.

President Biden’s visit to Kyiv recognized the courage of the Ukrainian people as they fight for a democratic and sovereign future, and further affirmed the United States commitment to Ukraine:

“One year later, Kyiv stands. And Ukraine stands. Democracy stands. The Americans stand with you, and the world stands with you.”

USAID will continue to stand side by side with the people of Ukraine, helping to meet the urgent needs of the country while laying the groundwork for a robust recovery from the war.

About the Authors

Joseph Larsen is a Senior Communications Advisor with the USAID Mission in Ukraine. Krystyna Larkham is a Communications Specialist with the USAID Mission in Ukraine.