Russia has its own niche in Kyrgyzstan and sees no reason to take over positions left vacant by others, Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Russian President’s Special Representative for International Cultural Cooperation, said during a press briefing in Bishkek, commenting on the possibility of occupying a niche of USAID and the Soros Foundation in the Kyrgyz Republic if they leave the republic.
«I am convinced that it never makes sense for Russia to take someone else’s niche,» Shvydkoy stated.
Russia has its own niche in Kyrgyzstan, Mikhail Shvydkoy added.
According to him, relations between the Russian Federation and Kyrgyzstan have a long history, unlike USAID and the Soros Foundation, which began working in the republic only 30-35 years ago.
«We still have many opportunities that we need to use today, from my point of view. And it makes no sense to simply win over those structures that worked with the Soros Foundation or USAID,» the Special Representative of the Russian President believes.
Russia, he believes, could theoretically be interested in the personnel that would become available if the programs were closed, but it does not see a need for them.
«We can pay the same money, but there is no certainty that tomorrow some third structures will not come and buy them out,» Mikhail Shvydkoy believes.
U.S. President Donald Trump previously called for «closing USAID.» Employees received a message that the presidential administration plans to keep only 611 out of more than 10,000 employees of the agency.
It was reported on February 2 that the USAID website and its account on X stopped working.
The United States Agency for International Development was founded in 1961 after Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act. Its establishment was initiated by President John F. Kennedy at the height of the Cold War, and one of the key goals was to counter the influence of the USSR.
