The Trump administration has paused its intelligence sharing operation with Ukraine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed in an interview with Fox's Maria Bartiromo on Wednesday. The decision comes after a heated exchange between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a meeting at the Oval Office on Friday.

Ratcliffe did not provide further details about the decision but stated that President Trump had asked for a "pause" in sending weapons shipments and intelligence to Ukraine. The CIA director attributed the pause to President Trump's concerns over whether Ukrainian President Zelenskyy was "committed to the peace process."

The meeting between the two leaders ended abruptly before they could proceed with the planned signing of a minerals deal in exchange for U.S. commitments to Ukraine's financial security. The sudden halt in intelligence sharing has raised concerns about Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian attacks, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

Ukraine has heavily relied on U.S. intelligence since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, including to counter and prevent Russian-launched cyberattacks. During the war, Russia targeted Ukraine with destructive cyberattacks that caused power outages in the middle of winter and knocked out satellite communications used by Ukraine's military.

The U.S. has deepened its diplomatic ties and collaboration with Ukraine since the war escalated in 2022. In 2023, the FBI touted its intelligence sharing partnership with Ukraine, saying federal authorities provided "actionable intelligence" to its Ukrainian partners, such as notifications that helped mitigate distributed denial-of-service attacks and counter the spread of disinformation.

The U.S. also indicted several Russian government-backed hackers accused of launching a wave of destructive attacks at the Ukrainian government and beyond. The pause in intelligence sharing raises questions about the future of this cooperation and Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.

It's unclear how long the pause will last, but Ratcliffe expressed optimism that it "will go away" without specifying a timeline. A spokesperson for the CIA did not respond to requests for comment, and representatives for the Ukrainian government in Kyiv and New York did not immediately reply to an email requesting comment.

The implications of this decision are far-reaching, and the pause in intelligence sharing could have significant consequences for Ukraine's national security. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how this development will impact the delicate balance of power in the region and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.