With Ukraine enduring its third year under full-scale invasion by Russia, U.S. lawmakers are demanding a comprehensive intelligence assessment of the risks tied to cutting aid to the embattled nation.
The request follows President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that he may reduce support when he takes office in January 2025.
According to The Hill, lawmakers have directed the heads of three key intelligence agencies — the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the CIA Director — to evaluate several scenarios.
These include the potential impact of halting military and economic aid to Ukraine, a Russian battlefield victory, and restricting Ukraine’s use of long-range missiles.
The intelligence report will also explore broader implications of Ukraine’s potential defeat, including how it could embolden nations like China, Iran, and North Korea to challenge U.S. interests.
This request comes during a political shift in Washington.
The House of Representatives recently approved next year’s defense budget, and the Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week. The report will be compiled during the transition from President Joe Biden to Donald Trump’s incoming administration, adding urgency to the findings.
Trump has nominated John Ratcliffe, his former Director of National Intelligence, to lead the CIA.
Meanwhile, his choice for the new Director of National Intelligence, former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, has sparked concerns among lawmakers due to her perceived leniency toward authoritarian regimes like Russia.
