The US has paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, the White House National Security Adviser said on Wednesday, adding that the administration was reviewing all aspects of its intelligence relationship with the country.
When asked whether intelligence sharing had been put on hold along with military aid, Mike Waltz told reporters: “We have, we have taken a step back.”
The US has shared intelligence with Ukraine since the early stages of the war in 2022.
It paused military aid to Kyiv on Monday following a dramatic breakdown in relations in the Oval Office last week, when Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky was told to leave the White House after an angry meeting with President Donald Trump.
It remains unclear if the intelligence sharing pause is partial or complete, and how long it will remain in effect. The move was first reported by the Financial Times.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe also appeared to confirm the decision in an interview on Fox Business on Wednesday, saying President Trump “had a real question about whether President Zelensky was committed to the peace process, and he said ‘let’s pause I want to give you a chance to think about that’.”
He said the response came swiftly with Zelensky’s statement saying he was ready for peace.
Ratcliffe then added: “On the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen, will go away and we’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.”
Waltz also suggested a more conciliatory tone was emerging between the US and Ukraine, adding that the military aid and intelligence sharing pause could be lifted in the near future.
“I think if we can nail down these negotiations and move towards these negotiations, and in fact, put some confidence-building measures on the table, then the president will take a hard look at lifting this pause,” he told Fox News.
He also said he had “good talks” with his Ukrainian counterpart about the location and substance of potential negotiations, adding there will be movement in “very short order”.
Ukraine has heavily relied on the US for military assistance since Russia invaded in 2022, and the decision to pause aid may have a significant effect on the war.
Halting intelligence support, too, would likely have serious consequences on the battlefield.
The information is believed to help Ukraine both strategically understand Moscow’s next moves and also tactically, for example providing information on Russian troop positions for weapons guidance and targeting.