Billion-dollar ban: does Ukraine receive American intelligence?
5 March 11:56
All British special services and military departments have received an order that categorically prohibits the transfer of intelligence received from the United States. This was reported by the British Daily Mail, citing its own sources, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
The publication recalls that since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the UK and other Western partners, such as Australia and New Zealand, have shared similar information with Ukraine.
And, by the way, Ukrainian experts, assessing the negative consequences of a possible US ban on intelligence sharing, pointed out that in this case, one could hope for the help of the European intelligence community.
The night before, British military intelligence expert Phil Ingram told the Daily Mail newspaper about the ban on providing such information.
“The United States’ instruction to prohibit allies from sharing intelligence with Ukraine is what I expected… US intelligence partners, including Britain, have lost the right to share,” the expert emphasized.
Instead, on Tuesday, a U.S. official told EFE that the U.S. administration continues to share intelligence with Ukraine despite the suspension of U.S. military equipment supplies.
Three days after a dramatic argument in the Oval Office between Presidents Trump and Zelenskyy, the US administration decided to suspend military aid to Ukraine.
What was banned
The suspension of military aid to Ukraine affected the supply of radars, vehicles, missiles, and ammunition. The latest weapons systems that the US has recently promised Ukraine, including drones, may also be blocked.
The US administration’s blocking decision applies to all US military equipment that is not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit and at bases in Poland. This means blocking the supply of weapons and equipment totaling about $1 billion.
The White House has not publicly disclosed the details and motives for this decision. Privately, however, senior administration officials have explained that Trump decided to freeze aid to make sure that US allies are truly interested in “achieving peace” and that they are ready to support Washington’s efforts.
What could be the consequences of the termination of military aid?
Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of the military analytical portal Defence Express, said in a commentary to Suspilne that in the worst-case scenario, when the United States completely blocks arms supplies and bans re-exports, Ukraine will lose up to a third of its arsenal. This will affect not only American equipment, but also a significant part of European weapons that were supplied with the consent of the United States.
According to him, dependence on American weapons is especially critical in such areas as air defense and aviation. It is not only about F-16 fighters, but also about ammunition for them, including JDAM precision bombs, HARM anti-radar missiles, and guided missiles for helicopters.
What Ukraine has already received from the United States and Europe
To date, according to the Daily Mail, the United States has provided Ukraine with 53 billion pounds of military aid, while the total amount from Europe, including the United Kingdom, is 51 billion pounds.
According to Western officials, about 20 percent of Ukraine’s military equipment comes from the United States. About 25 percent comes from Europe, including the UK and other countries. About 55 percent is financed by Ukraine and produced by Ukrainian companies.
Is it possible for the US to lift the ban on military aid to Ukraine?
In his speech to Congress, Donald Trump mentioned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s statement about his readiness for new negotiations.
“Today I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy. The letter states that Ukraine is ready to sit down at the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring a lasting peace,” the White House chief said and emphasized that he appreciated such steps by the Ukrainian leader.
A little earlier, US Vice President J.D. Vance, speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill, called official Kyiv’s willingness to negotiate in good faith a prerequisite for the resumption of US aid to Ukraine.
