In a surprising turn of events, CIA Chief John Ratcliffe affirmed that the United States temporarily halted sharing information with Ukraine. According to him, the decision was meant to bring both sides back to negotiations.
President Donald Trump ordered, as reported, an intelligence sharing and military assistance cutoff with Ukraine. On Fox Business Network, Ratcliffe said this is a small-scale delay that exists in the interest of pursuing peace talks.
What President Trump expressed was a plea for a timeout,” Ratcliffe said, referring to Trump as the “peace president” and having no wars during his presidency. He reminded the president that he was worried about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s commitment to the peace process, which signals that the timeout is a chance for consideration.
Zelenskyy has since shown his desire for peace and his anticipation of Trump’s leadership to spearhead the negotiation process. Ratcliffe had been expecting renewed military and intelligence cooperation, saying this pause was necessary to enable constructive discussion for peace.
Even after the cut, a Sky News report referencing a Ukrainian official hinted that sharing of American intelligence had not entirely stopped. According to the official, the manner of sharing remained “selective,” meaning intelligence by the Americans related to helping resist Russian military action in Ukraine-held territories would continue to be shared.
The tensions between Washington and Kyiv have escalated following a recent Oval Office meeting, where Vice President JD Vance condemned Zelenskyy for ingratitude of U.S. assistance. Trump, as reported, was infuriated and claimed that Zelenskyy had no negotiating chip in the negotiations.
The suspension of military aid is a major policy shift, with Trump adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Russia. The break was followed by Trump’s revelation that he got a letter from Zelenskyy expressing a willingness to negotiate, complicating the dynamics of U.S.-Ukraine relations even further.
