US Suspends Intelligence Sharing with Ukraine, Increasing Pressure for Peace Negotiations
The United States has temporarily halted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, as stated by CIA Director John Ratcliffe, increasing the pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to collaborate with US President Donald Trump in initiating peace discussions with Russia.
This suspension, which may undermine Ukraine’s capability to defend against Russian missile attacks, came after the US military aid to Kyiv was also put on hold earlier this week. It highlights Mr. Trump’s readiness to adopt a tough stance with an ally while shifting to a more conciliatory strategy towards Moscow, contrasting the previous strong US support for Ukraine.
The pressure appears to be effective, with Mr. Trump announcing yesterday that he received a letter from Mr. Zelensky, in which the Ukrainian leader expressed his willingness to engage in negotiations.
“I believe that the pause in military and intelligence support will be resolved,” Mr. Ratcliffe mentioned during an interview with Fox Business Network.
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Mr. Trump’s national security adviser, Mike Waltz, indicated on another Fox program that the president might reconsider providing assistance to Kyiv if peace talks were established and certain unspecified confidence-building measures were implemented.
A source familiar with the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity, disclosed that the Trump administration had paused “everything,” including the targeting data that Ukraine relies on to strike Russian positions.
A second source mentioned that intelligence-sharing had only been “partially” curtailed but could not provide further specifics.
On Monday, Washington ceased military assistance to Kyiv following a contentious meeting in the Oval Office on Friday, during which Mr. Trump and Mr. Zelenskiy engaged in a heated argument in front of the media. This confrontation delayed the signing of a Ukraine-US minerals agreement.
European nations are racing to enhance defense expenditures and continue their support for Ukraine, as the freeze on military aid has raised concerns about Washington’s commitment to its European NATO partners.
In his address to Congress last night, Mr. Trump stated that Kyiv was prepared to finalize a deal regarding the exploration of Ukraine’s vital mineral resources, which the US leader has insisted should cover the expenses of US military assistance. No additional details were provided.
Donald Trump delivering his address to Congress yesterday
Mr. Trump also claimed to have engaged in “serious discussions with Russia” and noted that strong indications suggested they were open to peace talks.
“It’s time to put an end to this senseless war. If we want to conclude wars, we must communicate with both parties,” he commented.
The US has been supplying crucial intelligence to Ukraine for its fight against Russian forces, including information that helped thwart Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initial attempt to seize Kyiv during the full-scale invasion starting in February 2022.
However, within less than two months of taking office, Mr. Trump has dramatically altered US policy, surprising and alienating European allies and raising concerns regarding the future of the NATO alliance.
He has also diminished Mr. Putin’s international isolation through phone communications with the Russian leader and discussions between Russian and US officials in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, from which Ukraine and its European allies were excluded.
Some experts believe that the suspension of US intelligence-sharing will hamper Ukraine’s capacity to target Russian forces, which currently occupy approximately 20% of the country’s territory.
Some experts believe that the suspension of US intelligence-sharing will hamper Ukraine’s capacity to target Russian forces.
“Regrettably, our reliance on this intelligence is significant, ranging from missile threats and attacks to what’s occurring in Russia, particularly in the temporarily occupied areas concerning strike operations,” remarked Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at Ukraine’s National Institute for Strategic Studies.
Some of the impact may be mitigated by acquiring commercial satellite imagery, but only military satellites could accurately identify missile launches, he explained.
The suspension of intelligence also complicates Ukraine’s defense against Russian air and missile assaults, which frequently target civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals, resulting in numerous non-combatant casualties.
“We will have less time to respond, leading to greater destruction and potentially more fatalities; this will significantly weaken us,” he added.
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Mr. Waltz informed reporters this morning that the US “had taken a step back,” and that the administration is reassessing all facets of its intelligence collaboration with Ukraine.
“I believe we will witness movement very shortly,” he added.
Russia strikes energy facilities
Meanwhile, Russia conducted nighttime strikes on energy facilities in the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, as stated by officials, resulting in power outages across the Black Sea area and leaving at least one person dead.
Russia has intensified drone and missile assaults on Ukraine, despite escalating discussions in the US and Russia regarding potential negotiations to cease hostilities.
Regional officials reported that “critical infrastructure has been damaged, and part of Odesa is without electricity, water, and heating.” Emergency services characterized the damage as “extensive” and released images of firefighters battling blazes.
The governor indicated that a 77-year-old man died due to shrapnel in a village near Odesa city.
Utility workers and special equipment at the site of a Russian drone attack in Odesa, Ukraine
In a separate incident, the governor of the adjacent Kherson region confirmed that a 55-year-old was killed in Kherson city.
No immediate response came from Moscow regarding the attacks.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched four missiles and 181 drones, including Iranian-designed Shahed attack unmanned aerial vehicles, noting that Kyiv managed to shoot down 115 of the Russian drones.
Russia’s defense ministry declared that its forces had captured the village of Pryvilne in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, stated that Russia’s primary objective remains to inflict “maximum defeat” on Ukraine.
“Russia is making progress. The enemy is resisting and has not yet been vanquished,” declared Mr. Medvedev, a former president of Russia.
“Inflicting maximum defeat on the enemy ‘on the ground’ remains our primary objective today.”
Mr. Medvedev predicted that the United States would resume military assistance to Ukraine, which was suspended on Monday, once President Volodymyr Zelensky signs a minerals agreement with the US.
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