The UK Defence Secretary is expected to discuss the US decision to pause intelligence-sharing with Ukraine with his counterpart in Washington as European leaders hold crisis talks in Brussels on support for Kyiv.
John Healey will join Pete Hegseth on Thursday for a bilateral meeting on a possible peace plan while efforts continue to bridge a transatlantic rift over the country’s future security.
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron said he would confer with allies about the prospect of using France’s nuclear deterrent to protect the continent in the face of threats from Russia at a summit of EU leaders.
Mr Healey’s trip was agreed last week after Sir Keir Starmer announced a rise in the UK’s defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, and comes as the US suspended intelligence-sharing and military aid to Ukraine.
CIA director John Radcliffe told Fox Business Network on Wednesday there has been a “pause” on “the intelligence front” following Donald Trump‘s fractious Oval Office confrontation with Volodymyr Zelensky last week.
The decision could affect Ukraine‘s ability to effectively use long-range western weapons, such as US-made Himars launchers and deprive Kyiv of advance information about potential incoming threats.
As he arrived in the Capitol later in the day, Mr Healey was asked what he would say to his counterpart about the issue when they meet for talks.
“Those are discussions for tomorrow, but it’s part of a two-day programme and we’re working hard for peace,” he said.
US national security adviser Mike Waltz said on Wednesday that Ukraine and America were still talking despite the pause.
“I just got off the phone with my counterpart, the Ukrainian national security adviser,” he said.
“We are having good talks on location for the next round of negotiations, on delegations, on substance.”