Ben Wallace, the former UK defense secretary, stated that Donald Trump’s decision to halt US intelligence sharing with Kyiv is “choking” the Ukrainian people’s hope of resisting Russian aggression.

Last Friday, US President Trump, alongside Vice-President JD Vance, publicly reprimanded Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval office, accusing him of “gambling with world war three” and urged him to return to the White House “when he is ready for peace.”

Since then, the US has stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv that previously provided advance warnings of attacks. This halt in cooperation has coincided with a substantial increase in defense spending by Brussels.

On the day following the suspension of intelligence sharing, Russia launched massive ballistic missile and drone strikes across Ukraine. Trump subsequently commented that Vladimir Putin was “doing what anybody would do.”

Overnight strikes in eastern Ukraine on Saturday resulted in at least 11 deaths and 30 injuries, including five children.

Wallace, who was the defense secretary during Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, criticized Trump’s actions for undermining Ukraine’s hope. He mentioned that hope is crucial in such conflicts and stated that Trump’s actions are “choking” the belief that Putin can be defeated or negotiated with.

Wallace also mentioned that Ukraine can still win the war if they continue to resist Russian forces. He stated that if Ukraine holds out for 18 months, the Russian economy will collapse due to its high inflation rate and difficulty in replacing equipment.

European leaders have responded to Washington’s change in stance on the war by convening to discuss a united approach. Keir Starmer, the UK’s leader, stated that Europe is “at a crossroads in history” and confirmed that the UK and France will lead a “coalition of the willing” to help end the fighting. French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Russia is becoming an imperial power in Europe and accused Putin of seeking to rewrite history. Wallace praised both Starmer and Macron for their leadership and called on them to work behind the scenes to find alternative sources of intelligence and support for Ukraine.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/08/trump-suspending-us-intelligence-sharing-is-suffocating-ukraine-hope-says-ben-wallace