President Trump is poised to restore crucial U.S. intelligence support to Ukraine after a temporary pause aimed at pushing Kyiv toward peace talks with Russia. The strategic move comes just ahead of pivotal Saudi Arabia meetings that could reshape the future of the devastating conflict.
He’s doing Zelenskyy a favor – the question is…why?
At a glance:
- Trump indicates intelligence sharing with Ukraine will resume soon after a temporary freeze
- The pause was implemented to pressure Ukraine to show more commitment to peace talks
- Critical meetings in Saudi Arabia will include representatives from Ukraine and Russia
- Trump hinted Ukraine may sign a minerals deal with the United States
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with President Zelenskyy in Riyadh
Trump Pushes Ukraine Toward Peace
President Donald Trump informed reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday that the U.S. will soon lift its pause on sharing vital intelligence with Ukraine.
“We just about have, we really just about have,” Trump stated, referring to ending the intelligence freeze that had been implemented to encourage Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue peace with Russia.
The intelligence sharing suspension was part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to pressure Ukraine into demonstrating genuine commitment to ending the war. Trump emphasized that he wants Ukraine “to want peace … and right now they haven’t shown it to the extent that they should. But I think they will be, and I think it’s going to become evident over the next two or three days.”
The announcement suggests Trump may know something we don’t about what Zelenskyy will do next.
Critical Saudi Summit Approaches
A pivotal meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials is scheduled in Saudi Arabia, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to meet with President Zelenskyy in Riyadh. The high-stakes talks aim to discuss options for a possible ceasefire in the ongoing conflict that has seen thousands of casualties on both sides.
The U.S. delegation will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, while Ukraine’s team will be led by Andriy Yermak. Trump expressed optimism about the upcoming meetings, stating: “We’ll be looking at a lot of things. We have big meetings coming up. As you know, it’s Saudi Arabia that’s going to include Russia. It’ll be Ukraine. We’ll see if we can get something done.”
This will be welcomed by Kyiv as a sign Donald Trump is not only pressuring them.
Ukraine again came under heavy attack overnight from Russian missiles & drones. Its air defences have been significantly weakened by the US decision to halt intelligence sharing & military support https://t.co/tVmy4cThsI— Deborah Haynes (@haynesdeborah) March 7, 2025
America First Approach to Ukraine Conflict
The Trump administration has taken a markedly different approach to the Ukraine conflict compared to the Biden administration’s unquestioning support for endless war and brutality. Ukraine’s offensive operations against Russia were significantly hampered by the intelligence pause, highlighting the strategic importance of U.S. support to Kyiv’s war efforts.
Trump has described the Russian-Ukrainian conflict as a “senseless war” with massive casualties on both sides that must be brought to an end. The President also indicated a potential economic agreement in the works, noting, “I think they will sign the minerals deal,” which could be a significant step toward improving U.S.-Ukraine relations following recent tensions.
While U.S. intelligence sharing appears set to resume, there was no mention of lifting the suspension on weapons shipments to Ukraine, which was imposed a week prior. Trump has also floated the possibility of implementing “large scale” sanctions or tariffs on Russia, claiming to have received signals that Moscow is ready for peace talks.
The ongoing conflict continues with military actions from both sides, including recent Russian drone attacks on Ukraine and Ukrainian drone strikes on a Russian oil refinery. European leaders have expressed concern about the shifting U.S.-Ukraine relationship, while the Kremlin has acknowledged the upcoming talks as positive despite questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy.
The war might finally be coming to an end…soon.
