CIA Director John Ratcliffe revealed that the Trump administration has halted intelligence support as part of its decision to withhold military aid to Ukraine following last week’s Oval Office confrontation between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Speaking to Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Wednesday, Ratcliffe directly tied the decision to Trump’s skepticism over Zelensky’s commitment to the peace process.
Ratcliffe added that Trump wanted to “pause” aid following the clash.
That pause, he said, would be temporary. Ratcliffe also let slip, however, that withholding military aid meant withholding intelligence, too.
“I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause that allowed that to happen I think will go away and I think we’ll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as we have to push back on the aggression that’s there, put the world in a better place for these peace negotiations to move forward,” explained Ratcliffe.
Again, President Trump is going to hold everyone accountable to drive peace around the world.
A senior U.S. military official, speaking to CNN after the revelation, said that intelligence-sharing had already been curtailed, including fewer surveillance flights that could impact Ukraine’s air defenses and overall battlefield awareness.
The country’s military has relied heavily on American intelligence for overwatch in its fight against Russia.
Watch above via Fox Business.