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exemptions later announced for life- saving humanitarian assistance.
Over the past three years, the US has contributed more than $3bn in aid to Afghanistan, solidifying its position as the nation’s largest financial donor.
Despite these exemptions, an analysis by IntelliNews, citing UN Financial Tracking Service data, reveals that no US humanitarian aid payments have been made to Afghanistan through the UN in 2025. This is while the US had committed $29mn and pledged an additional $234mn for Afghanistan’s humanitarian needs in 2025 before the cuts.
"In the low-income countries; the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) is the largest non-US provider in the majority, with the EU the largest in Afghanistan and Eritrea," the study announced.
The funding freeze has disrupted critical UN programmes, including reproductive health services for nine million Afghan women, as reported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Dozens of aid organisations have shut down, exacerbating economic instability, currency volatility, and rising costs of essential goods.
In January, Trump said the ongoing US financial aid to Afghanistan should
be contingent upon the return of
the American military equipment
left in this country after the US 2021 withdrawal of its troops.
The Taliban, who swept to power immediately after the US exit, turned down the request, asserting the equipment was Afghan property and were needed to combat terrorist groups. Much of that equipment, including helicopters, was purposefully broken by
US troops before their departure from the country; however, in some cases, Afghan technicians have managed to get some of the equipment moving.
Reports also indicate that some US financial assistance has been diverted to the Taliban rather than reaching its intended beneficiaries.
John F. Sopko, former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), has noted that the US provided over $3.7bn in aid to Afghanistan under Taliban rule, with a significant portion allegedly benefiting the ruling group, which is still not recognised as the legitimate government by any country.
US Congress representative Tim Burchett has also claimed that $40mn per week is still reaching the Taliban- controlled government, though Taliban officials deny access to foreign funds.
Baku moves to close Russian cultural centre as diplomatic tensions rise
Cavid Aga in Ankara
The Azerbaijani foreign ministry has sent a formal note to Moscow, demanding the closure of the Russian Information and Cultural Centre (known as "Russian House") in Baku.
Azerbaijan’s increasingly assertive stance on Russian matters marks a shift from its previous balancing act between Moscow and the West. The demand to shut down Russian House – an institution commonly associated with Russia’s
soft power efforts – reflects growing discomfort with Russian influence.
According to Russia’s state-run Vesti. ru, the head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, confirmed that Russia has repeatedly requested legal registration for the centre
but has received no response from Baku. Azerbaijani foreign ministry spokesperson Aykhan Hajizade
acknowledged the issue, stating that the centre does not have legal status and is in violation of national regulations. As a result, Azerbaijan formally requested Russia to cease its operations.
In a separate but related development, a group of Azerbaijani NGOs has called on the United States and the European Union to impose stricter sanctions on Armenia for allegedly helping Russia circumvent international restrictions related to the war in Ukraine.
The appeal to the US and EU to crack down on Armenia’s trade with Russia further signals Azerbaijan’s willingness to align itself more closely with American policies.
According to APA News, the open letter was addressed to US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio,
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, acting Commerce Secretary Jeremy Pelter and Attorney General Pamela Bondi. It was also sent to European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. The letter expresses deep concerns over Armenia’s role in allegedly facilitating Russia’s evasion of sanctions imposed due to the Ukraine war.
The NGOs pointed out that despite having a relatively small foreign trade volume, Armenia’s trade with Russia has seen an abnormal spike since 2022, when the war in Ukraine began. The trade volume between the two countries reportedly surged from $2.5bn in 2021 to approximately $12bn in 2024 – a nearly 400% increase.
They claim that Armenia’s exports to
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