Pause in U.S. intelligence help for Ukraine will hurt but not cripple Kyiv's war effort, ex-officials say
President Trump’s decision to pause intelligence assistance to Ukraine will hamper the country’s war effort but will not cripple Kyiv’s fight against Russia.
President Donald Trump’s decision to pause intelligence assistance to Ukraine will hamper the country’s war effort — and damage Washington’s relations with other intelligence partners — but will not cripple Kyiv’s fight against Russian forces, former intelligence officials say.
Ukraine has other partners in Europe, including the United Kingdom, that can provide battlefield and other intelligence to Kyiv, though there will be a gap that can’t be entirely filled, former intelligence officers with knowledge of the matter said. But they noted that the longer the pause, the more Ukraine will face complications.
U.S. spy agencies provide sophisticated surveillance imagery and eavesdropping intelligence that helps Ukraine anticipate Russian aerial and ground attacks, enables Kyiv to track and target Russian forces, and assists Ukraine’s espionage efforts, according to former intelligence officials.
Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, condemned the suspension of intelligence help for Ukraine, saying it has saved the lives of Ukrainian troops and civilians.
“The pause on providing materiel to Ukraine against Putin’s aggression is unconscionable on its own, but the idea that we will now withhold life-saving intelligence from Ukrainians who are fighting and dying is unforgivable,” Himes said in a statement. “Any pause in intelligence sharing must end immediately.”
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