US senator accuses Trump of weakening Ukraine's defense
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, who recently visited Ukraine, stated that the Trump administration's suspension of intelligence sharing weakened Kyiv's defense against Russia. He also dismissed Elon Musk's remarks, who called him a "traitor," citing Reuters.
When the senator was asked if he had heard during his visit about specific attacks or incidents that could have been influenced if Ukrainians had access to intelligence, he responded: "One hundred percent."
"If there's stuff they don't get, that they need, that changes their ability to defend against attacks. And those attacks happened on Friday night, on Saturday, when I was there," he told reporters.
Reuters recalls that Kelly, a member of the Armed Services Committee, was in Ukraine from Saturday to Sunday to show support for the Ukrainian people and assess the situation.
When asked about Elon Musk, the senator stated that the billionaire is obviously... not a serious guy.
In response, Musk commented on Kelly’s post with a photo from Ukraine, calling him a "traitor." The senator replied:
"Traitor? Elon, if you don't understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do," he wrote.
Reuters notes that this was Kelly’s third visit to Ukraine since 2023.
What preceded this
On the night of March 4, just days after a dispute between the Ukrainian and American presidents, US President Donald Trump ordered the suspension of all military aid to Ukraine. This included assistance that was already en route by planes and ships, as well as aid that had yet to reach Ukraine but was stationed in Europe.
Shortly after, reports emerged that all intelligence sharing had also been halted. However, later media sources, citing their contacts, claimed that the suspension specifically affected intelligence used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike targets in Russia.
Just over a day ago, Trump stated that the US might resume intelligence sharing with Ukraine and that the country was practically ready to do so.
Additionally, yesterday, Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, claimed that the US had not restricted Ukraine’s access to intelligence necessary for its defense.
