Trump Lifts Suspension On Ukraine Intel Sharing

President Donald Trump of the United States on Sunday said that his country has ended a suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine, stating that he expects good results out of upcoming talks with Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.

When asked if he would consider ending the suspension, Trump said, “We just about have. We just about have.”

The Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, John Ratcliffe said on Wednesday that the US had halted intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cooperate with Trump in convening peace talks with Russia.

The suspension, which could cost lives by hurting Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian missile strikes, followed a halt to US military aid to Kyiv.

Recall that US officials will meet on Tuesday with a Ukrainian delegation in Saudi Arabia in part to determine whether Ukraine is willing to make material concessions to Russia to end the war.

Also to be discussed in Saudi Arabia is the fate of a minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv.

Trump expressed optimism about the talks. “We’re going to make a lot of progress, I believe, this week,” he said.

Zelenskyy and Trump had been slated to sign the minerals accord, which would give the US access to certain mineral resources in Ukraine, before Zelenskyy’s White House visit erupted into a clash between the two leaders, after which it was not signed.

Trump said on Sunday he thought Ukraine would sign the minerals agreement, which Ukraine wants to contain a US security guarantee.

“They will sign the minerals deal but I want them to want peace… They haven’t shown it to the extent they should,” he said.