The United States is temporarily stopping sending important intelligence information to Ukraine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe announced today, quoted by DPA, BTA reports.
The agency notes that relations between the two countries remain strained after the verbal clash between their two leaders in the White House.
In an interview with "Fox Business" television, Ratcliffe confirmed that there is a "pause" in support "on the military front and in intelligence". The Trump administration announced on Monday that it was suspending all US military aid to Ukraine, which has been defending itself from a full-scale Russian attack for more than three years, DPA recalls.
But the CIA chief gave Kiev some hope that support could soon be resumed after recent reconciliation efforts by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
White House National Security Adviser Mike Walz said in a separate statement to Fox News that if Kiev was ready to offer "confidence-building measures", Trump "would carefully consider lifting this freeze".
Zelensky said yesterday that he was ready to work under "strong leadership" Trump to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine, days after their heated exchange of words in the Oval Office, in which Zelensky called Russian President Vladimir Putin a "murderer and terrorist".
The exchange, in which Zelensky was criticized for being ungrateful and wanting to prolong the war, led to Trump halting U.S. military aid to Ukraine as a pressure tactic to get him to come to the negotiating table.
In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Zelensky's willingness to negotiate peace as "positive" step, but noted that the Ukrainian leader had legally blocked similar talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin through a decree he signed in 2022.
"So, overall, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not changed yet," Peskov said.
"For now, there is still a legal ban on the president of Ukraine from negotiating with the Russian side," the Kremlin spokesman added.
Zelensky proposed a new framework for a partial ceasefire that would include "a ban on missiles, long-range drones, bombing of energy and other civilian infrastructure".
A senior adviser to Zelensky reiterated today that Moscow must stop its incessant attacks if it is truly interested in a peace agreement.
"Russia must immediately stop its daily bombing of Ukraine if it really wants to end the war," wrote on "Telegram" the head of the presidential administration, Andriy Yermak.
Last night, Russia struck Ukraine with 181 drones and four missiles, the authorities in Kiev announced this morning.
Peskov also responded to the proposal of the Kremlin ally - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, to hold the talks in Minsk, calling it "the best place" because Belarus is "Russia's most important ally".
However, Ukraine views Belarus as a belligerent country, given its role in facilitating Russian military action, making such a venue unlikely.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to Zelensky by phone on Monday and welcomed the Ukrainian leader's willingness to talk peace, a government spokesman in Berlin said.
The two leaders agreed that Trump's leadership was important for achieving a quick ceasefire and lasting peace in Ukraine, he added. He said a first step could be to end air and sea strikes and attacks on civilian energy infrastructure.
Sholz and other EU leaders will discuss their response at an EU summit tomorrow. Germany is the second-largest arms supplier to Ukraine after the United States, DPA notes.
Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron is preparing for his long-awaited speech tonight, which will be dedicated to Ukraine - but also to Trump's customs policy and the possible start of a trade war.
Denouncing speculation that Macron would travel to Washington with Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the French leader's spokeswoman said a trip by the trio was "possible" but "not planned."
There was also diplomatic pressure in Britain to ensure peace, as British Defense Secretary John Healey headed to Washington today. Healey is due to meet his American counterpart Pete Hegsett, a former Fox News host, tomorrow.