The Director of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), John Ratcliffe, has confirmed that Washington has suspended the exchange of intelligence data with Kyiv.
This move aligns with the stance of other senior U.S. officials, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and National Security Advisor Mike Waltz. Ratcliffe, however, has characterised the suspension as a temporary measure, expressing a desire to resume cooperation once, in his words, Ukraine is on a path towards peace.
This development comes at a time when there are no significant peace negotiations underway. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear to U.S. President Donald Trump that he is not interested in a ceasefire with Ukraine.
Instead, Putin has articulated his preference for what he terms a ‘lasting peace,’ which he claims must address the root causes of the conflict. In reality, for the Kremlin, the existence of a sovereign Ukraine is the primary issue. Putin’s broader ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, posing a potential challenge to European stability.
The suspension of intelligence sharing has direct consequences for Ukraine’s defensive capabilities. Access to U.S. intelligence has allowed Ukrainian forces to counter Russian military operations effectively. Unlike Ukraine, Russia possesses the capability to sustain its own intelligence operations independently.
Consequently, Washington’s decision weakens Kyiv’s ability to respond to Russian aggression, reducing its operational advantage on the battlefield.
Critics of the Trump administration’s policy contend that the current pause in military support echoes a pattern seen previously. In 2023, Trump’s allies in the U.S. House of Representatives delayed approval of military aid to Ukraine for nearly six months.
This created an operational pause that Russian forces exploited to intensify their offensive. Some analysts argue that Trump’s approach at the time was motivated by an expectation that Putin would reciprocate with favourable terms in a future negotiation, an assumption that proved misguided.
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