LAST UPDATE | 5 Mar 2025

THE UNITED STATES has “paused” intelligence sharing with Ukraine after a dramatic breakdown in relations between Kyiv and the White House, according to the CIA.

The agency’s director John Ratcliffe has confirmed this afternoon that intelligence sharing had also been frozen, likely hindering efforts by Ukraine to beat back the Russian invasion.

President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a public falling-out in the Oval Office last week, followed by Ukraine’s top ally suspending crucial US military aid.

“President Trump had a real question about whether President Zelensky was committed to the peace process,” Ratcliffe told Fox News.

Ratcliffe said the pause “on the military front and the intelligence front” is temporary, and the United States will again “work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.”

Trump said yesterday that Zelenskyy told him Kyiv was ready for talks with Moscow and the finalization of a US minerals deal, as Ukraine works to move on after the Oval Office spat.

Zelenskyy has sought to bring Trump back onside, posting on social media that their clash was “regrettable” and he wanted “to make things right.”

In his address to US Congress last night, Trump read aloud from a letter from Zelenskyy.

“The letter reads, ‘Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,’” Trump told US lawmakers.

Russia attacks energy facilities

It comes as attacks on Ukraine continue, with Russia staging night-time attacks on energy facilities in the southern Ukrainian region of Odesa, cutting electricity to the Black Sea territory and leaving at least one dead.

Moscow has stepped up drone and missile attacks on Ukraine even as rhetoric builds in Washington and Moscow on potential talks to halt fighting.

Regional authorities announced that “critical infrastructure has been damaged and part of the city has been left without electricity, water and heat”.

Emergency services described the damage as “large-scale” and released images showing firefighters battling blazes.

The governor said a 77-year-old man was killed by shrapnel in village outside Odesa city.

Separately the governor of the neighbouring region of Kherson said a 55-year-old was killed in Kherson city.

There was no immediate comment from Moscow on the attacks.

The Ukrainian airforce said Russia had launched four missiles and 181 drones, including the Iranian-designed Shahed attack unmanned aerial vehicles, adding Kyiv had shot down 115 of the Russian drones.

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