Gabbard restricts intel publishing on Russia-Ukraine discussions

(MENAFN) US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has reportedly instructed intelligence agencies to withhold all information on Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations from foreign partners, CBS News reported Thursday.

According to unnamed officials, a July 20 memo ordered that all related intelligence be classified as NOFORN—meaning it cannot be shared with any foreign government, including the US’s closest allies in the Five Eyes network (the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand). The directive also limited circulation of such materials to the agency that produced them. However, it does not appear to restrict the sharing of military or diplomatic information gathered outside the intelligence community.

Some former officials warned that the sweeping restrictions could damage trust with US allies, who rely on open intelligence sharing. Others argued the move is not unusual, noting that Five Eyes members occasionally withhold information where interests diverge.

Gabbard has long criticized the West’s handling of the Ukraine conflict, saying NATO provoked it by refusing to acknowledge Russia’s security concerns over Ukraine’s potential membership.

The order came just before US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska on August 15. Though the talks ended without a ceasefire deal, both sides described the discussions as constructive. In the days afterward, Trump hosted Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and European leaders at the White House to discuss peace efforts and security guarantees for Kiev. Trump reportedly told Zelensky that Ukraine would need to “show flexibility” and confirmed it would not join NATO.

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