The United States will begin providing Ukraine with intelligence on long-range energy infrastructure targets inside Russia, two American officials told Reuters on Wednesday, in what marks a significant policy shift by President Donald Trump.
The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, will make it easier for Ukraine to plan strikes on oil refineries, pipelines, and power plants, assets seen as vital to the Kremlin’s ability to finance its war.
Washington has long shared battlefield intelligence with Kyiv, but this is the first time it will assist with planning attacks deep inside Russian territory. U.S. officials said NATO allies are also being asked to provide similar support.
The decision comes as Trump intensifies his push to choke Moscow’s oil revenues. He has urged European countries to halt Russian crude imports in exchange for Washington imposing tougher sanctions on the Kremlin, while also pressuring India and Turkey to scale back purchases of discounted Russian oil.
Ukraine has requested Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can strike targets up to 2,500 km (1,550 miles) away, well within range of Moscow, though Washington has not yet approved the transfer.
Kyiv has also begun deploying its domestically produced “Flamingo” missile, though production remains limited.
According to U.S. officials, Trump’s approval of expanded intelligence-sharing came shortly before he posted on Truth Social last week that Ukraine, backed by European allies, was “in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form.”
His comments marked a notable rhetorical shift after previously signaling impatience with the prolonged conflict.
Russia condemned the U.S. decision, with its U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia warning that “quick fixes do not work” in the conflict. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also dismissed the potential supply of Tomahawks, saying it “will not change the situation on the battlefield.”
The Biden administration had previously resisted steps that could be seen as escalating the war, wary of provoking direct confrontation with Moscow. Trump’s policy change, however, underscores Washington’s renewed focus on hitting Russia’s economic lifelines.
Energy exports remain Russia’s largest source of wartime revenue despite Western sanctions.
Earlier on Wednesday, finance ministers from the Group of Seven pledged new joint measures to target countries and companies helping Moscow circumvent restrictions on oil sales.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, with the Kremlin insisting it was a “special military operation” to counter NATO expansion.
Kyiv and its allies maintain the assault is an illegal land grab.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
