BY : Osabuohien Vivian-Rose
The United States is reportedly set to share intelligence with Ukraine on potential long-range targets related to energy infrastructure within Russia, according to two officials cited by Reuters. This move comes as the US considers whether to supply Ukraine with missiles that could be used for strikes on these targets. Essentially, the US is exploring ways to bolster Ukraine’s capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, while navigating concerns about escalation and the use of Western-supplied weaponry against targets inside Russia
Also the U.S is requesting NATO allies to provide similar support, the U.S. officials said, confirming details first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
President Donald Trump’s recent approval of a policy shift marks the first confirmed change since he intensified his verbal stance against Russia, aiming to bring an end to Moscow’s prolonged conflict in Ukraine, which has surpassed three years. This move showcases a strategic adaptation in his approach.
Washington has been standby sharing intelligence with Kyiv, but the Wall Street Journal said it will now be easier for Ukraine to hit infrastructure like refineries, pipelines and power plants with the aim of depriving the Kremlin of revenue and oil.
Trump has never ceased the pressure on European countries to stop buying Russian oil in exchange for his agreement to impose tough sanctions on Moscow in a bid to try to dry up funding for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The plea for comments from Reuters weren’t immediately answered by the White House or Ukraine’s United Nations mission. Similarly, Russia’s U.N. mission in New York chose not to comment on the matter.
The U.S. is contemplating Ukraine’s request for Tomahawk missiles, which have an impressive range of 2,500 km (1,550 miles), putting Moscow and much of European Russia within striking distance if launched from Ukraine. Additionally, Ukraine has been developing its own long-range missile, the Flamingo, though production quantities remain uncertain due to its early development stage.
According to U.S. officials while speaking to the Wall Street Journal, President Trump approved expanded intelligence sharing just before posting on social media that Ukraine could reclaim territories occupied by Russia – marking a notable shift in rhetoric supporting Kyiv. Trump wrote on Truth Social last Tuesday, following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy: “After seeing the Economic trouble (the war) is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form”.
Russia initiated its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, framing it as a “special military operation” aimed at curbing Kyiv’s Western-oriented geopolitical alignment and perceived NATO expansion threats. In contrast, Kyiv and European allies view the invasion as an aggressive territorial seizure.
Trump started his second presidential term in January, pledging swift resolution to the Ukraine conflict. Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia commented that “President Trump is a special kind of politician. He likes quick fixes and this is a situation where quick fixes do not work,” during a press conference marking Russia’s U.N. Security Council presidency start in October. Nebenzia also referenced Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s stance that U.S. provision of Tomahawks to Ukraine “will not change the situation on the battlefield”.
This marks the first instance of the U.S. assisting Ukraine with long-range strikes targeting Russian energy infrastructure deep within Russia, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Energy revenues are crucial for Kremlin war financing, making oil and gas exports key targets of Western sanctions
Trump has imposed additional tariffs on Indian imports to pressure India into halting discounted Russian crude oil purchases and has urged countries like Turkey to c
