Ukraine and the US are cooperating well on intelligence matters

Intelligence-sharing between the United States and Ukraine has once again become robust and deep, wrote Politico, providing a modicum of perspective on a relationship that has seen a slight setback in recent days, following President Donald Trump’s backtracking on granting the Ukrainians licences to produce the Patriot systems needed to intercept the ballistic missiles that Vladimir Putin is now launching with relentless ferocity, precisely by exploiting this backtracking and Ukraine’s defenceless airspace. Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who sits on the Congressional Intelligence Committee and has long advocated for greater US assistance to Ukraine, told Politico that he had seen evidence of robust intelligence-sharing, a crucial element in Kyiv’s defence: ‘I cannot go into specifics,’ the senator said, ‘but the improvement is visible.’

Last year, following the clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, there was a slowdown (anti-Ukrainian Trump supporters wanted a suspension) in the exchange of information, but those operating in Ukraine never ceased sharing intelligence, knowing how vital it is for Kyiv’s resistance. Today, if the Ukrainians are able to strike deep into Russian logistics and oil centres, it is also thanks to American intelligence, and knowing that, at least in this area, there are no hitches, second thoughts or whims is a relief.