Pause in U.S. intelligence help for Ukraine will hurt but not cripple Kyiv’s war effort, ex-officials say
President Donald Trump’s decision to stop intelligence assistance to Ukraine Handing over the country’s war effort – Washington’s relations with other intelligence partners – but it will not paralyze Kiev against Russian forces.
Ukraine has other partners in Europe, including the UK, they can provide the battlefield and other intelligence information to Kiev, although there will be an incomplete fully flexible gap. But they indicated that the longer the temporary suspension period, Ukraine will face complications.
American spying agencies provide advanced pictures of the intelligence that helps Ukraine to anticipate Russian air and wild attacks, and KYIV enables the follow -up and targeting of Russian forces, and helps Ukraine spying efforts, according to previous intelligence officials.
Representative Jim Hems, D-Kon, a member of the House of Representatives Intelligence Committee, condemned the suspension of intelligence assistant to Ukraine, saying that she had saved the lives of Ukrainian forces and civilians.
“Stopping the provision of equipment to Ukraine against Putin’s aggression is unreasonable on his own, but the idea that we will now block life -saving intelligence from Ukrainians who are fighting and die unjust.” “Any temporary interruption in the intelligence participation must end immediately.”
Former intelligence officers said that regardless of the influence on the battlefield in Ukraine, the decision to suspend intelligence cooperation – and publicly declare it – will send shock waves among intelligence partners in America all over the world.
“The signal that you send is terrible,” said Mark Bolimarubulos, former CIA chief officer. “It is a reference to the rest of the world that the United States is not a reliable ally.”
In the past, intelligence cooperation tended to continue without interruption between the United States and its partners, even in times of dangerous friction between political leaders. But it seems that the Trump administration has broken this tradition, using intelligence as a political tool, according to Bulimropoulos and other former intelligence officers.
John Sever, who served for 28 years in the Secret Service of the CIA, described the “FoolHardy” step and harmed America’s reputation among other spying agencies.
“The decision to stop intelligence assistance is foolish and unprecedented. The intelligence cooperation must remain secretly and outside the volatility of politics.” It is the last place to take a public position, especially when there are many other ways to pressure a partner. “
On Wednesday, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe, and the National Security Adviser in Trump, Mike Waltz, said on Wednesday that the administration had stopped military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine after a tense public exchange last week in the Oval Office between Trump and the President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelensky.
The White House had previously announced a comment on military aid, but it was not initially specified a temporary stopping intelligence with Kyiv. The administration said it chose to suspend assistance until the Ukraine government showed that it was ready to follow the peace negotiations.
Fox Business said that it is expected that the stop will be stopped soon based on the Zelenskyy statement on Tuesday, expressing its willingness to enter peace negotiations with Russia and support a proposed agreement that would give the United States a stake in the country’s mineral wealth rights. The Director of the CIA suggested that the suspension of military and intelligence aid had the intended effect on Kyiv’s accounts.
“President Zelinski issued a statement saying:” I am ready for peace and I want Donald Trump to achieve this peace, “Ratcliffe said.
He added: “Therefore, I think on the military front and the intelligence front, and the pause of allowing it will disappear and I think we will work on the shoulder with Ukraine where we have to retract the aggression there, but to put the world in a better place for this peace negotiations.”
Western governments have one day considered intelligence services in Ukraine unreliable and full of agents supported by Russian. But in 2014, after protests forced the street to the street president at the time, Ukraine, Victor Yanukovic, to flee to Russia, the Ukrainian government and the new intelligence intelligence agency worked.
Ukraine shared high valuable information about Russia with Americans and American individuals Training a new generation Ukrainian spies and commandos. Former intelligence officers said this cooperation was intensified after Russia’s invasion of three years ago.
Former officials say the UK intelligence service, MI6, and the military have cooperated closely with Ukraine over the past decade.
Intelligence services in Ukraine are now capable of a great ability to organize drones and assassinations in the depth of Russia, and target weapons, railway and oil facilities.
