US stops sending intelligence information to Ukraine

WashingtonSpeaking before Congress on Tuesday night, Donald Trump said he "appreciated" Volodymyr Zelensky's capitulation. Hours earlier, the Ukrainian president had bowed to the "strong leadership" of the American president in negotiations with Russia, after Washington suspended military support in the country. But Kiev's resignation at the first blow seems not to be enough: CIA director John Ratcliffe confirmed on Wednesday in an interview on Fox that the United States has also cut off the intelligence support that it had until now provided to Ukraine.

The cooperation of American intelligence has been essential for the Ukrainian army to be able to identify and attack Russian military targets. Without military supplies The forecasts for resistance were six months, now the window for the future is even narrower. In principle, the blackout of the supply of intelligence would have occurred at the same time as the freezing of military aid. But it was not until now – when Zelensky declared himself willing to sign the minerals agreement "as it suits Trump" and to sit down to negotiate under his biased arbitration in favor of Moscow – that Washington decided to make it public.

The Trump administration is further stifling Zelensky while the first approaches are taking place to try to rebuild the bridges between Kiev and Washington. The Ukrainian president has assured this Wednesday that "the Ukrainian and American teams have begun to work." "Andri Iermak [chief of presidential staff of Ukraine] and Mike Waltz [national security adviser to the White House] have spoken," said Zelensky, who has assured that "there is a positive movement" and has said that he hopes to see "the first results next week."

Ratcliffe has argued that Donald Trump also asked to "pause" intelligence cooperation, in addition to military assistance, to put pressure on Zelensky and check "if he was committed to the peace process." "It gave him a chance to think about it," said the CIA chief, who concluded that the move had been successful, because on Tuesday the Ukrainian leader issued a statement making it clear that he was prepared to negotiate a truce US leadership.

The US intelligence chief has said he expects both suspensions to eventually be lifted: “I think on the military front and on the intelligence front the pause will go away, and I think we will work hand in hand with Ukraine as we have to push back the world, but cen.”

The White House has also confirmed that Trump is reconsidering the suspension of aid and the minerals deal. “I think what the National Security Council told me on this was that they are reconsidering funding for Ukraine, the pause in funding,” government spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said on Wednesday, adding that “it’s a pause to review trust [in Zelensky].” While Zelensky’s obsequious message pleased Trump’s ego, it appears the tycoon still wants more evidence that he is willing to accept his terms.

"[Trump] wants to see an end to this war, and I think President Zelensky's message, which he also shared with X, is a positive sign in the right direction," Leavitt said, pointing out the path Kiev must follow if it wants to revive the flow of American aid. In his meeting with Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron insisted that peace "must not mean Ukraine's surrender." However, the shouting against Zelensky in the Oval Office confirmed that diplomatic efforts did little to soften the tycoon.

Ban for all allies

According to British newspapers Daily Mail and Financial Times, Washington has banned its allies from sharing intelligence generated by the United States, as they have done until now. The business daily cited two sources as saying that countries with assets inside Ukraine will likely continue to pass relevant information on to Kiev, although it will not be urgent or high-value intelligence such as that needed by the Ukrainian military to carry out precise strikes against moving targets.

"Operationally, to see the movement of soldiers, for example, satellites are a great help and US capabilities are very important," the daily said. Financial Times Mikhailo Samus, a Ukrainian military expert. The information provided by Washington to Kiev has also played a significant role in the warning system against Russian missile and drone attacks.