US has reduced the aid to Afghanistan by $ 1 billion, said the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

His remarks came after he failed to convince Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his political rival to end a feud, Reuters reported. 

According to Pompeo, the US is also ready to cut aid in 2021 by $1 billion, as well as to conduct “a review of all of our programs and projects to identify additional reductions, and reconsider our pledges to future donor conferences for Afghanistan.”

As he noted, the US “deeply regrets” that Ghani and Abdullah were “unable to agree on an inclusive government. “Their failure has harmed U.S.-Afghan relations and, sadly, dishonors those Afghan, Americans, and Coalition partners who have sacrificed their lives and treasure,” Pompeo added.

“We are today announcing a responsible adjustment to our spending in Afghanistan and immediately reducing assistance by $1 billion this year. We are prepared to reduce by another $1 billion in 2021,” he said. “We will also initiate a review of all of our programs and projects to identify additional reductions.”

Pompeo has already landed at the military base in Qatar for a 75-minute meeting with Taliban officials, including their top negotiator, Mullah Baradar Akhund.

As two sources told Reuters, Abdullah has an intention to change the constitution and create the post of the Prime Minister to reduce the amount of power concentrated in the president’s hands.