The United States has cut intelligence with kyiv, said two US officials in a decision that could seriously hamper the Ukrainian army capacity to target Russian forces.
The decision to cut the sharing of intelligence and military aid to Ukraine clearly illustrates the will of the Trump administration to play Hardball with an ally to force it at the negotiating table as relations between countries have set itself.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told journalists on Wednesday morning that the United States “took a step back” and that the administration “examined all aspects” of its intelligence relationship with Ukraine.
Three sources familiar with the situation also confirmed to Reuters that the intelligence sharing of the United States had stopped. It was not immediately clear to what extent the United States had reduced sharing.
CIA director John Ratcliffe, in an interview with Fox Business Network, described the development of a break.
“I think that on the military front and the intelligence front, the break, I think that will disappear,” Ratcliffe on Fox Business Network.
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The United States has provided Critical Information to Ukraine for its fight against Moscow forces, including information that helped thwart the will of Russian President Vladimir Putin to seize kyiv at the start of his large-scale invasion in February 2022.
Friday, the White House interrupted military aid to kyiv following a disastrous meeting of the oval office during which US President Donald Trump, vice-president JD Vance and the president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy engaged in an animated confrontation in front of the world media. The confrontation delayed the signing of a framework of an American-Ukraine investment fund to extract minerals in Ukraine.
Some experts have said that the suspension of American intelligence would harm Ukraine’s ability to strike Russian forces, which occupy around 20% of the country’s territory. Trump, on the campaign track, criticized the American weapons used for strikes within Russian territory.
“Unfortunately, our dependence in this regard is quite serious, starting with the threats of missiles, missile attacks and ending with what is happening in Russia, in the territories temporarily occupied in terms of launching strikes,” said Mykola Bielieskov, researcher at the National Institute of Ukraine for strategic studies.
Part of the loss could be offset by purchases of commercial satellite images, but only military satellites could identify missile launches, he said.
The intelligence suspension will also complicate the defenses of Ukraine against Russian air strikes and missiles, said Bielieskov, which has regularly struck civilian buildings such as schools and hospitals, killing hundreds of non-combatants.
“We will have less time to react, more destruction, potentially more victims, all this will weaken us very, a lot,” he said.
Cautious optimism concerning renewed talks
European countries rush to stimulate defense spending and maintain Ukraine support after freezing military aid fueled doubts about Washington’s commitment to its European NATO allies.
Before the presentation of the oval office, Trump also ended Putin’s isolation by telephone calls with the Russian leader and talks between Russian and American aid in Saudi and Turkey Arabia, from which Ukraine and its European allies were excluded.
Asset, In his speech at the congress on Tuesday eveningsaid Kyiv was ready to sign an agreement on the exploitation of critical mineral deposits in Ukraine, that the American chief demanded to reimburse the costs of American military aid. He has provided no other information.
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Trump also said he was “serious discussions with Russia” and had received strong signals that they were ready for peace.
“It is time to put an end to this insane war. If you want to end the wars, you have to speak on both sides,” he said.
Waltz also said that the United States has actively engaged in talks with Ukraine to improve negotiations on a mineral agreement and a potential peace agreement with Russia.
“I think we will see the movement very little,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said in his night speech on Wednesday that there had been a “positive movement” in cooperation with the United States and that it expects results next week involving a future meeting between the two parties.
In addition, Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Yermak said on X that he and Waltz had also “exchanged opinions on security issues and the alignment of posts” and have planned a meeting of Ukrainian and American officials in the near future “to continue this important work”.
