Trump rebuffs European reports of intelligence cutoff; defends diesel deal as serving global markets

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US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House on Tuesday (local time). [UPI]
US President Donald Trump speaks with reporters at the White House on Tuesday (local time). [UPI]

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) denied reports that Washington had cut off war-related intelligence sharing with Ukraine, pushing back after Kyiv objected to a diesel supply deal he struck with Russia.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump was asked whether the United States had suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine. "No. We have not," he said.

The denial came after Politico Europe reported that Trump might block US intelligence flows to Ukraine or pressure Elon Musk to cut off Starlink satellite internet service, on which Ukrainian forces heavily depend. The Financial Times, citing anonymous European officials, had also reported that the administration was threatening to halt both a weapons procurement support program and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.

Trump rebuffed those reports and said the United States remained engaged. "We are helping them. We are supporting them in finding a final solution," he said. He added that Washington was working with both Ukraine and Russia toward an end to the war. "We want the war to end."

Asked why he was confident that Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted peace more than Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump pointed to his own background. "Only in negotiations. Negotiating is what I've done all my life," he said. "I think Putin probably wants it too."

He went on to say that both leaders wanted to end the war but did not know how to get there. "There's deep hatred between the two of them," Trump said. "We will get them to that point."

Trump also rebuffed criticism from Europe and the United States over a deal he reached with Putin to ease sanctions on Russia in exchange for Russian diesel supplies to American and global markets. "It's a diesel deal — it's not for us. It's for the world market to be supplied," he said.


mokiya@heraldcorp.com