Summary

USAID has long faced resistance from former Soviet bloc governments opposing U.S. support for pro-democracy and and civil society movements.

Now, for the first time, local leaders see an ally in Washington backing their crackdown, branding USAID and its beneficiaries as “criminals.”

Georgia, Slovakia, Russia, and Hungary are using this shift to justify targeting civil society groups. Russia’s parliament seeks to expose USAID recipients.

Some officials acknowledge USAID’s role in health initiatives, but many governments plan further crackdowns.