Open Letter to U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and USAID Administrator Power: U.S. REPO for Ukrainians Act Needs Assessment

NGOs have urged Secretary Blinken and USAID Administrator Power to repurpose a percentage of immobilized Russian sovereign assets towards urgent interim reparation which would address the devastating harms suffered by the most vulnerable survivors of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. According to the U.S. REPO for Ukrainians Act, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the USAID Administrator, must submit an assessment of Ukraine’s pressing needs for “reconstruction, rebuilding, and humanitarian aid.” The open letter from REDRESS and the Global Survivors Fund emphasizes the importance of prioritizing interim reparations within this needs assessment, asserting that humanitarian assistance, reconstruction, and recovery must be considered hand in hand with provision of reparation.