The United States has reportedly blocked Britain from sharing American intelligence with Ukraine, a move that could disrupt Kyiv’s ability to strategise on the battlefield.
At the same time, Washington is said to be weighing the possibility of Britain assuming greater leadership within NATO.
This directive, which affects UK intelligence agencies and military branches, removes the “Rel UKR” designation that previously authorised Britain to relay US-sourced intelligence to Ukraine.
The decision comes in the wake of Donald Trump’s abrupt suspension of military assistance to Kyiv, a move that has raised fears Ukraine could face critical shortages of weapons in the coming months.
Key UK agencies, including GCHQ and the Ministry of Defence’s intelligence divisions, are impacted by the restriction, potentially limiting the flow of strategic information to Ukrainian forces.
Security analyst Phil Ingram told the Daily Mail: “The United States’ instruction to stop allies sharing US-derived intelligence with Ukraine is what I would expect.”
“The US’s intelligence partners, including Britain, have had their authority to pass on intelligence revoked.
“The US will tightly control the distribution of its intelligence to Ukraine through agencies based in Kyiv.”
The intelligence ban was imposed shortly after Trump addressed Congress, where he confirmed a “temporary pause” on military aid and placed responsibility on Ukraine for failing to advance peace talks with Russia.
Defending his decision, Trump stated that “America must focus on American interests,” adding that the burden of the war should shift to European nations.
The move has sent shockwaves through Western allies, with officials now scrambling to assess the full impact of the intelligence cut-off and aid suspension.