The United States has suspended both military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine until a concrete date for peace talks with Russia is set, White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz confirmed on Wednesday.
The recent move of the Trump administration comes after the televised Oval Office confrontation between U.S. President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“We have, we have taken a step back,” Waltz told reporters when asked about suspending intelligence sharing. He went on to say that the Trump administration was pausing and reviewing “all aspects of this relationship.”
CIA Director John Ratcliffe also confirmed the pause, stating in an interview with Fox Business that the suspension was intended to prompt Ukraine to engage in peace negotiations.
“President Trump had a real question about whether President Zelenskyy was committed to the peace process,” Ratcliffe said. “He said, ‘Let’s pause, I want to give you a chance to think about that.'”
A day before the U.S. officials announced the halt in military aid to Ukraine, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
“We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky — ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure — and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same,” Zelenskyy said.
The Ukrainian president added that the country values how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence. “We remember the moment when things changed when President Trump provided Ukraine with Javelins. We are grateful for this,” he added.
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine is ready to sign the agreement on minerals and security at any time.
I would like to reiterate Ukraine’s commitment to peace.
None of us wants an endless war. Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 4, 2025
Ukrainian officials declined to comment on the country’s intelligence-sharing relationship with Washington on Wednesday, and CIA officials also refrained from answering questions.
It remains uncertain whether the U.S. suspension will affect Ukraine’s intelligence-sharing relationships with other Western nations, including four of the Five Eyes countries—an intelligence alliance made up of the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
A report from the Daily Mail however claims that the White House has already instructed the U.K. to cease sharing U.S.-generated intelligence with Ukraine.
Despite these developments, several Ukrainian military and political sources told RBC-Ukraine that they have not yet observed any changes in intelligence cooperation in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, in response to the Trump administration’s announcement, French President Emmanuel Macron has called for an emergency meeting of European military chiefs in Paris next week. He emphasized the urgent need for Europe to strategically prepare for a future where U.S. support is no longer guaranteed.
“I want to believe the U.S. will stay at our side, but we must be ready if that is not the case,” Macron said in a televised speech.
The U.S. has allocated approximately $174 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022, though Trump has suggested a much higher figure, claiming that American support has totaled $350 billion.
