U.S. Continues Limited Intelligence Sharing with Ukraine Amidst Ceasefire Push
Despite earlier reports of a complete intelligence sharing pause that sparked considerable anxiety among Ukrainian officials and allied nations, the United States is continuing to provide Ukraine with specific types of defensive intelligence to protect against incoming Russian attacks, Fox News Digital has learned.
Sources familiar with the decision confirmed that intelligence pertaining to force protection and the identification of imminent threats remains active. This means Ukraine is still receiving U.S. intelligence that helps them anticipate and respond to incoming missiles, artillery fire, and other immediate dangers to their troops and civilian population.
However, other forms of intelligence sharing have been suspended. According to these sources, the sharing of federal intelligence – the product of agencies like the CIA and FBI, as well as human intelligence gathered through clandestine operations – has ceased. Also paused is the provision of data that aids Ukraine in conducting offensive operations against Russian forces. This includes information that would allow Ukraine to target Russian supply lines, command centers, or troop concentrations behind enemy lines.
The initial announcement of a complete intelligence sharing pause generated confusion and alarm, primarily because the specific parameters of the pause were not clearly defined. Concerns were voiced that a full cessation of intelligence support would cripple Ukraine’s ability to defend itself effectively against the ongoing Russian invasion.
One intelligence source suggested that the pause might be short-lived. They speculated that the complete sharing of all data could potentially resume in the coming days. However, it remains unclear what conditions would need to be met for this to occur.
The United States has historically been a crucial provider of intelligence to Ukraine. Numerous defense experts have asserted that halting all data-sharing would represent a more significant blow to Ukrainian forces than even the loss of direct military aid from the U.S.
Can Kasapoglu, a defense fellow at the Hudson Institute, emphasized the critical role of information superiority in Ukraine’s defense strategy. He argued that prior to the pause, Ukraine’s singular advantage over Russia was its access to superior intelligence. Without this advantage, he contends, Kyiv would be at a severe disadvantage.
Kasapoglu also expressed skepticism about Europe’s capacity to compensate for the loss of U.S. intelligence support, stating that the continent does not possess sufficient "strategic enablers capacity" to fill the void.
Neither the National Security Council nor the Pentagon has issued an official statement clarifying the specific types of military intelligence that are still being shared with Ukraine.
Matthew Shoemaker, a former military intelligence officer, highlighted the strategic consequences of selectively sharing intelligence. He argued that "the selective sharing of intelligence creates a strategic imbalance, forcing Ukraine into a primarily defensive posture."
Even if Ukraine continues to receive intelligence about incoming threats, the absence of offensive intelligence limits its ability to proactively neutralize potential dangers. This situation forces Ukraine into a reactive posture, which could increase its vulnerability to Russian attacks. The inability to disrupt Russian supply lines, command centers, and staging areas behind enemy lines further restricts Ukraine’s ability to effectively defend itself.
However, Shoemaker also suggested that if intelligence sharing were to resume quickly, the pause could be interpreted as a tactic designed to exert pressure on Ukraine at the negotiating table. In this scenario, the pause would serve as a signal to Ukrainian policymakers, demonstrating the U.S.’s ability to unilaterally curtail assistance at will.
CIA Director John Ratcliffe previously stated that the intelligence sharing pause was initiated at the request of then-President Donald Trump. Ratcliffe indicated that the pause could be lifted as soon as Ukraine signaled its readiness to pursue a ceasefire with Russia.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz echoed this sentiment, stating, "I think if we can nail down these negotiations and move toward 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."
U.S. intelligence has been instrumental in tracking Russian troop movements, identifying targets, and effectively operating U.S.-supplied weapons systems, such as High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and U.S. Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).
In the wake of the U.S. intelligence sharing pause, France and the United Kingdom have announced their intentions to increase their intelligence support to Ukraine. However, the U.K. clarified that it would not share data originating from the U.S. but shared through the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed that Ukraine will participate in U.S.-led peace talks in Saudi Arabia next week. This announcement follows a reported contentious meeting in the Oval Office between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and President Zelenskyy.
Adding another layer of complexity to the situation, President Trump recently teased the possibility of imposing new sanctions on Russia, marking his first public threat against the Kremlin since taking office. Trump has expressed growing frustration with Russia’s intensified strikes on Ukraine, particularly as he actively promotes a ceasefire.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely pounding Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!"
Despite the recent escalation in rhetoric, President Trump expressed optimism about the prospects for peace on Thursday.
"I think what’s going to happen is Ukraine wants to make a deal, because I don’t think they have a choice," he said. "I also think that Russia wants to make a deal, because in a certain, different way, a different way that only I know, only I know, they have no choice either."
The situation remains fluid, with the U.S. balancing its support for Ukraine’s defense with its desire to encourage a negotiated resolution to the conflict. The limited resumption of defensive intelligence sharing provides a lifeline to Ukraine while the broader intelligence pause and the threat of sanctions suggest a strategy aimed at pushing both sides towards the negotiating table.
