Trump heightens NATO's mistrust over intelligence-sharing: Politico
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Intelligence-sharing within the NATO alliance witnesses uncertainty as mistrust looms following Trump's abrupt shift regarding relations with Russia.
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President Donald Trump speaks during the NATO summit, December 4, 2019, in Watford, England. (AP)
Current and former NATO security officials have warned that intelligence-sharing within the alliance is increasingly at risk as mistrust among member states grows—a situation exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s changing stance on Russia.
According to POLITICO, tensions have long existed between NATO’s traditional Western members and newer Eastern European states from the former Soviet bloc. These divisions deepened following the start of the war in Ukraine, particularly with Hungary’s pro-Russian stance, now joined by Slovakia, raising concerns over their reliability in intelligence exchanges.
Trump’s efforts to re-engage with Russia are now shaking the foundation of the alliance, with several NATO states questioning the risks of sharing intelligence with Washington.
Five NATO officials told POLITICO that uncertainty over the US commitment has escalated, particularly following reports that Washington temporarily cut off intelligence-sharing with Kiev to pressure Ukraine into negotiations with Moscow.
Julie Smith, who served as US ambassador to NATO under Joe Biden until November, acknowledged growing concerns, stating, "There are a lot of whispers in the halls of NATO about the future of intelligence sharing within the alliance."
Former Canadian intelligence official Daniel Stanton warned that at a time when NATO needs more intelligence, the availability of actionable information may decline. Meanwhile, analyst Gustav Gressel noted that Trump’s decision to appoint Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence has further fueled uncertainty within the alliance.
While the shift in US policy has not yet disrupted intelligence-sharing, officials fear that changes could come soon. One NATO official, speaking after Trump’s tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, said the situation had raised "a lot of questions." However, the official added that NATO staff remained focused on their work despite growing concerns.
"Of course there is corrosion because of the approach on Ukraine," the same official said, "but we remain of the view that Trump has no real issues with NATO beyond spending... so that’s something."
US halted aid to Kiev without consulting NATO
Earlier on Monday, United States President Donald Trump ordered a pause on military aid to Ukraine, including shipments in transit areas in Poland, a senior Defense Department official told Bloomberg.
The pause will take effect until the Trump administration determines that Ukrainian leaders "demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace," the agency reported, citing the US official.
All US military equipment not currently in Ukraine would be paused, including shipments of weapons and equipment in transit areas in Poland.
Consequently, Polish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pawel Wronski revealed on Tuesday that Trump decided to halt military assistance to Ukraine without consulting with NATO or with the Ramstein group.
"According to the Foreign Ministry, this is a very important decision and the situation is very serious ... The decision was made without discussion or consultation with either NATO or the Ramstein group, which is engaged in supporting Ukraine," the spokesperson told reporters when commenting on the reported suspension of US aid to Ukraine.
Washington's decision will be reviewed by the Polish Council of Ministers now in session, Wronski said, adding that Warsaw continues to stand by Ukraine.
