US has paused intelligence support to Ukraine: CIA director

The United States has halted intelligence support and weapons shipments to Ukraine following last week's Oval Office meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump, CIA Director John Ratcliffe has said.

Speaking to Fox Business on Wednesday, Ratcliffe said the pause came after Trump questioned Zelensky's commitment to the peace process.

“Trump had a real question about whether President Zelensky was committed to the peace process, and he said let’s pause,” Ratcliffe told Maria Bartiromo.

The CIA director suggested that the pause could soon be lifted following a letter from Zelensky to Trump.

“I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen, I think will go away,” he said.

Ratcliffe stressed that the US remained committed to working with Ukraine to counter aggression and support peace efforts.

Impact on Ukraine’s military operations

A senior US military official confirmed that intelligence sharing had already been scaled back, including fewer surveillance and reconnaissance flights. This reduction could affect both Ukraine’s offensive and defensive operations, particularly air defense.

Ukraine relies heavily on US intelligence for battlefield awareness, and officials from both countries are now assessing the potential consequences of the pause.

Ahead of Trump's inauguration, US officials had briefed his transition team on the importance of intelligence cooperation with Ukraine, highlighting its role in battlefield successes, a source familiar with the discussions said.

CNN reported on Tuesday that both US and Ukrainian military officials were evaluating the impact of the temporary halt in military aid.