WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has indicated to aides that merely signing a minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine will not be sufficient to resume aid and intelligence sharing with the conflict-ridden nation. Trump is pushing for the minerals deal to be finalized while also seeking a change in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s approach to peace negotiations, including potential concessions to Russia. Trump also desires Zelenskyy to take steps towards holding elections and potentially stepping down from his leadership role, according to officials.
While elections in Ukraine have been put on hold due to martial law provisions in place since Russia’s invasion in 2022, positive movements have been noted by the Trump administration. Pressure from Congressional Republicans has prompted the administration to consider restarting aid and intelligence sharing, with optimism that these efforts could resume soon. Despite the temporary halt in intelligence sharing, the U.S. continues to provide defensive intelligence to assist Ukraine in self-defense against attacks.
The U.S. has been a key provider of targeting information to Ukraine in recent years, but the absence of such intelligence is now impacting Ukraine’s ability to respond to Russian threats. European allies are attempting to fill the intelligence gap, but the situation remains challenging for Ukraine as Russia intensifies its attacks.
