Washington issues ultimatum to Kyiv: Stop the strikes on Russia or lose intelligence and weapons

The United States has clearly warned Ukraine and its European partners that it could halt intelligence-sharing, as well as European countries’ purchases of American weapons for Kyiv, if long-range strikes against Russia’s energy infrastructure continue.

According to two European sources who spoke to CNN, the warnings were conveyed over the weekend by the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon to Ukrainian and European officials. The messages also reached Ukrainian commanders through U.S. military channels.

Another source familiar with the matter confirmed that Washington is making a real threat to cut off Ukraine’s access to intelligence information.

The news was first reported by the Financial Times, which said that the U.S. administration was also considering blocking mechanisms that allow European countries to purchase military equipment from the United States and then transfer it to Ukraine.

CNN contacted the Department of Defense, the State Department and the White House for comment on the situation.

President Trump has long made clear his displeasure with Volodymyr Zelensky over Ukrainian strikes against refineries and other energy facilities on Russian territory. He has repeatedly blamed the Russia-Ukraine conflict for rising oil and fuel prices on global markets and has called on both sides not to target energy facilities.

Earlier, Trump announced that Moscow and Kyiv had reached an agreement on what he called an “energy ceasefire.” Zelensky responded by saying that Ukraine welcomed such a halt, but that Russia must also comply with it fully.

“Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is essential that Russia support it as well. We are waiting for the details from the American side,” Zelensky wrote on the X platform.

A European official described both intelligence-sharing and arms purchases as “vital” for Ukraine, characterizing Washington’s threat as a “sad day” for Kyiv and its allies.

If the United States decides to implement this ultimatum, the effects on Ukraine’s defensive capabilities could be felt immediately. U.S. intelligence allows Ukrainian forces to respond to Russian ballistic missiles by providing information about the positions of launchers, the missiles’ trajectories and their arrival times.

Meanwhile, blocking the purchases would particularly affect the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles, which Kyiv urgently needs as Moscow steps up missile and drone attacks across the country.

Another European official said that NATO had so far noticed no changes to the PURL program over the weekend.

This is not the first time the Trump administration has suspended intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. The same thing happened in March 2025, after a heated argument between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval Office. The exchange was later resumed when Kyiv agreed to an American ceasefire proposal during negotiations in Saudi Arabia.

The new threats are expected to further strain the already fragile relationship between the two leaders. In recent days, they have also clashed over a U.S. agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin on supplying global markets with Russian oil and fuel.

According to a U.S. official, one of the reasons that prompted Trump to reach this agreement was precisely Ukraine’s continued strikes against Russian refineries. Over the weekend, Trump went further by suggesting that Ukraine might need new leadership and that Zelensky should be replaced.