The United States of America has ceased all collaboration with the World Health Organization, as the WHO leadership has refused to carry out the reforms that the US authorities have insisted on. This was announced by US President Donald Trump.

“Since they were unable to implement the required and much-needed reforms, today we are breaking off our relations with the World Health Organization and redirecting our funds to other pressing global health problems,” Trump said.

According to the head of the White House, Beijing has put pressure on WHO to “mislead the world” by ignoring its obligation to report on the situation with the coronavirus infection COVID-19.

“The world is suffering from the wrongdoing of the Chinese government. China's concealment of the Wuhan virus has allowed the infection to spread worldwide. China has full control over the World Health Organization, despite paying only $ 40 million a year, compared with a US contribution of about $ 450 million a year, ”Trump added.

The American leader noted that "the world needs answers from China about the virus" and "transparency is needed."

  • WHO headquarters in Geneva
  • Reuters
  • © Denis Balibouse

Earlier, Donald Trump sent a letter to the head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, in which he criticized the behavior of WHO in connection with the spread of COVID-19, threatening to stop financing the organization.

“If the World Health Organization does not commit itself to large-scale and substantial improvements over the next 30 days, I will make my decision to temporarily suspend US contributions to the WHO budget permanent and review the issue of our membership in this organization,” the letter said.

In his letter, Trump also listed a number of steps taken by WHO, which, in his opinion, were erroneous in the situation with the spread of coronavirus infection. He accused the organization of publishing false information and criticized the position that it adheres to in relation to China. In addition, the head of the White House said that he could not allow American taxpayers to finance an organization that, in its current state, "so obviously does not serve the interests of the United States."

Recall that in mid-April, the US president announced the suspension of WHO funding from Washington, accusing the organization of concealing information about the spread of coronavirus. This decision trump caused a negative reaction from the international community.

A month later, the American leader allowed the possibility of resuming WHO funding from the United States, but only in the amount of 10% of the previous tranches.

“What can the US offer the world in return?”

Commenting on Washington’s decision to break off relations with WHO, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova noted that the United States delivered a “blow to the international legal framework for health cooperation” at a time when the international community needed to consolidate efforts to combat the pandemic.

“What can the US offer the world in return?” The sad picture that opened up in the American health care system during the pandemic does not leave Washington a chance to talk about leadership in this area, ”Zakharova said.

The head of the international committee of the Federation Council, Konstantin Kosachev, also noted that the United States is stopping WHO funding in an environment where the risks of the spread of COVID-19 are still huge in many countries of the world. According to him, the actions of Donald Trump have neither an understanding of these risks, nor an awareness of responsibility.

“If global leadership is the destruction of global institutions alone and an attempt to grab onto the remaining ones ... it’s not global leadership. This is paroxysm. This is a grimace. And this is a threat. But this is not leadership, ”the senator wrote on his Facebook.

In turn, the representative of the World Health Organization in Russia, Melita Vujnovic, said that at the moment, WHO is evaluating the expected damage that the United States will cause by its actions.

“We are aware of the latest news, and our organization’s leadership evaluates this issue, including its impact on our programs,” TASS quoted it as saying.