The Blubber

The Trump administration appears to have partially halted the flow of crucial intelligence that the United States shares with Ukraine, potentially affecting Kyiv’s ability to defend against Russia’s ongoing invasion, according to a U.S. military official and public statements from top Trump administration officials.

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and CIA Director John Ratcliffe both indicated Wednesday morning that an intelligence-sharing pause is in place, though the extent of the restrictions remains unclear. Both officials also suggested the pause could be temporary, depending on whether Ukraine takes steps toward peace negotiations—a controversial initiative that stalled following Friday’s tense Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"We are pausing, assessing, looking at everything across our security relationship," Waltz told CBS News when asked directly about intelligence-sharing with Kyiv. The Trump administration had already frozen weapons deliveries to Ukraine, part of a broader White House effort to pressure Zelensky into negotiating an end to the war.

Still, Waltz sounded optimistic, telling reporters after his interview that he spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart Wednesday morning. He pointed to Zelensky’s public statement the day before, in which the Ukrainian leader expressed a willingness to negotiate peace, as a positive step.

"We are having good talks on location for the next round of negotiations, on delegations, on substance. So, just in the last 24 hours since Zelensky’s statement and subsequent conversations—which I’m about to continue—I think we’re going to see movement in very short order," Waltz said.

Later on Wednesday, Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, confirmed that Ukrainian and U.S. officials had agreed to meet "in the near future" following Waltz’s call.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe, speaking on Fox Business, also signaled that the intelligence-sharing freeze may soon be lifted.

"You saw the response that President Zelensky put out," Ratcliffe said, referring to Zelensky’s recent public statements. "So I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen—I think will go away."

Potential Impact on Ukraine’s War Effort

If the freeze remains in place for an extended period, it could be devastating for Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, multiple sources familiar with the intelligence-sharing arrangement warned.

"It’s pretty bad," one source said. "Combined with the stopping of military assistance and foreign aid, it pretty much guarantees a Russian victory without there needing to be a peace deal."

Meanwhile, Andrei Kartapolov, a top Russian lawmaker, has in recent days urged the U.S. to stop providing intelligence to Ukraine—highlighting how Trump’s decision may already be benefiting Moscow’s battlefield strategy.