News Feed

France providing intelligence to Ukraine, minister assures after US freeze

2 min read
France providing intelligence to Ukraine, minister assures after US freeze
Armed Forces Minister Sebastien Lecornu is at the Elysee Palace for the visit of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi in Paris, France, on April 30, 2024. (Andrea Savorani Neri/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

France is providing military intelligence to Ukraine, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said after the U.S. halted intelligence sharing with Kyiv, the BFM TV channel reported on March 6.

"We have intelligence resources that we are providing to the Ukrainians," Lecornu said on air on France Inter.

The U.S. stopped sharing intelligence with Ukraine on March 5, shortly after it froze all military assistance as part of an effort to pressure Kyiv into quick negotiations with Russia.

The decision potentially threatens Ukraine's ability to strike Russian forces but also detect Russia's aerial strikes against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.

Some media suggested that Washington also banned its partners, like the U.K., from sharing U.S.-obtained intelligence with Ukraine. U.S. officials signaled that the pause may be temporary and will depend on progress toward peace talks.

Speaking on France Inter, Lecornu also said that French President Emmanuel Macron instructed him to "accelerate the delivery of French aid packages (for Ukraine) to compensate for U.S. aid that no longer arrives."

European countries are expected to step up support amid uncertainties about the Trump administration's commitment to Ukraine's and Europe's security. European assistance for Kyiv and the need for greater defense spending will be discussed during an EU summit in Brussels later on March 6.

The conflict between Kyiv and Washington has been simmering for weeks as U.S. President Donald Trump adopted increasingly hostile rhetoric toward President Volodymyr Zelensky while intensifying diplomatic outreach to Moscow. The most explosive episode came on Feb. 28, when Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance publicly berated Zelensky in the Oval Office, derailing plans for the signing of a minerals agreement.

Ukraine war latest: US halts intelligence sharing with Ukraine, CIA director confirms
Key developments on March 5: * US halts intelligence sharing with Ukraine, CIA director confirms * Trump may resume Ukraine aid after further progress toward peace, White House says * Ukraine, EU drafting plan for first steps toward lasting peace, Zelensky says * Ukraine, US delegations to meet…
Article image
Avatar
Martin Fornusek

Senior News Editor

Martin Fornusek is a news editor at the Kyiv Independent. He has previously worked as a news content editor at the media company Newsmatics and is a contributor to Euromaidan Press. He was also volunteering as an editor and translator at the Czech-language version of Ukraïner. Martin studied at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, holding a bachelor's degree in security studies and history and a master's degree in conflict and democracy studies.

Read more
News Feed
Video

The Kyiv Independent staff documented what it feels like to live and sleep in Kyiv, Ukraine, as Russia intensifies its drone and missile attacks on the city. Filmed over several weeks in June and July, our journalists take shelter in bathrooms, basements, and parking garages as explosions ring out overhead.

Show More