Following a heated, on-camera exchange in the Oval Office between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the United States has decided to suspend the sharing of intelligence with its embattled ally, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed.
Ratcliffe made the revelation about the intelligence freeze during an appearance on Fox Business on Wednesday morning.
While discussing the matter, Ratcliffe specified that the suspension affects both “the military front and the intelligence front,” though he did not provide further clarification on the extent of the decision.
Zelenskyy’s visit to the White House on February 28 was initially set to conclude with the signing of a major agreement that would have given the U.S. access to potentially vast financial gains from Ukraine’s mineral resources. However, the deal was abruptly called off when the meeting devolved into a dispute over Russia’s invasion and whether Zelenskyy had expressed sufficient gratitude to the American president.
Although Zelenskyy had previously expressed his appreciation to Mr. Trump and the United States on multiple occasions—and continued to do so afterward—senior aides to the president were privately taken aback by what they perceived as Zelenskyy pressing Trump too forcefully in front of the media.
Since the confrontation, Zelenskyy has indicated his willingness to return to the negotiating table.
During the interview, Ratcliffe stated that Mr. Trump personally decided to put intelligence cooperation on hold.
The president “said ‘let’s pause.’ I want to give you a chance to think about that, and you saw the response, that President Zelenskyy put out a statement saying ‘I’m ready for peace, and I want Donald Trump’s leadership to bring about that peace,'” Ratcliffe explained.
Ratcliffe later emphasized that despite the intelligence freeze, the U.S. remains committed to assisting Ukraine in its ongoing struggle against Russian forces.
“We’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine, as we have to push back on the aggression that’s there,” Ratcliffe said.
During his congressional address on Tuesday night, Mr. Trump reiterated his commitment to resolving the conflict in Ukraine, declaring that he is “working tirelessly to end the savage conflict in Ukraine.”
For Ukraine, access to U.S. intelligence has been a key factor in executing strikes against Russian military positions.
Mr. Trump’s often confrontational stance toward America’s allies has drawn significant backlash from Democratic lawmakers. One of his critics, Michigan Senator Elissa Slotkin, addressed the issue directly while delivering a response to his address on Tuesday.
“President Trump loves to say ‘peace through strength.’ That’s actually a line he stole from Ronald Reagan. But let me tell you, after the spectacle that just took place in the Oval Office last week, Reagan must be rolling in his grave,” Slotkin remarked, suggesting that the former president, who played a crucial role in Cold War-era U.S. policy, would take a firmer stance in support of Ukraine.
{Matzav.com}