That aid has been viewed as critical to helping the country prevent and recover from cyberattacks on government officials, telecommunications companies and energy providers amid the conflict. However, USAID has been gutted in the first months of Trump’s presidency by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, and Trump has become increasingly impatient with Zelenskiy. This week, Vice President JD Vance warned the US could walk away from the peace process if Russia and Ukraine don’t accept the proposal, potentially complicating any future cybersecurity assistance. Dozens of people located in Ukraine and the US — who had provided technical assistance on cybersecurity at hundreds of facilities across the war-torn country — have had their contracts cancelled or paused, according to interviews with eight people with direct knowledge of the situation, providing previously undisclosed details about the impact of the US actions on the country’s cyber defenses. The US has helped Ukraine fend off Russian attempts to sabotage power plants and infiltrate the Cabinet of Ministers, the top branch of state executive power in the country, according to the people.