"Keir Starmer's raid on overseas aid has led to a 40% cut in funds for countering Russian aggression and misinformation in a region of Europe described by the prime minister as vital to the UK's national security. British funding committed to bolstering the western Balkans, where Russia has been accused of sowing division and creating destabilisation, has been cut from 40m last year to 24m for 2025-26."
"Last year's ISF funds were used in part to counter and respond to malicious cyber-attacks in the region and to bolster democratic institutions and independent media. The cut in UK government funding appears to be a consequence of Starmer's policy to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) for low- and middle-income countries. The amount of ODA committed to the western Balkans under the ISF has been cut from 31.91m in 2024-25 to 17m for 2025-26."
The UK has cut funding for countering Russian aggression and misinformation in the western Balkans by 40%, reducing Integrated Security Fund commitments from £40m to £24m for 2025–26. The ISF targets high-priority national security threats domestically and abroad and previously funded responses to malicious cyber-attacks and support for democratic institutions and independent media in the region. The cut follows a government policy to reduce Official Development Assistance from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI by 2027, with ODA contributions to the western Balkans under the ISF falling from £31.91m in 2024–25 to £17m in 2025–26.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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