Why did USSR refuse Marshall Aid?

The USSR refused Marshall Aid primarily because it viewed the program as a means for the United States to exert political influence over European countries and to promote capitalism. Soviet leaders believed that accepting the aid would undermine their control over Eastern Europe and contradict their communist ideology. Additionally, the USSR pressured its satellite states to reject the aid, fearing that participation would weaken their allegiance to Soviet influence. This decision was part of a broader strategy to maintain a unified communist bloc in opposition to Western capitalist countries.