The United States announced this week that it has stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv. On the "Ukraina stuudio" program, retired Maj. Gen. Neeme Väli explained that intelligence and early warning are crucial for warfare, as the inability to see deep into enemy territory is a significant loss.

Väli added that Russia immediately took advantage of the U.S. decision by increasing missile strikes against Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Ukraine is not entirely helpless without U.S. intelligence.

"Ukrainians certainly have their own capabilities when it comes to short-range reconnaissance using UAVs — they employ drones extensively, which provides them with a close-up view of the battlefield. Of course, this is dependent on the weather; if it's foggy or there are other obstructions, then the picture is not as clear," Väli said.

"Secondly, Europe is already supplying intelligence. /.../ European countries continue to provide information to Ukraine. This partially compensates for the loss. So, it cannot be said that Ukrainians are completely helpless due to the U.S. cutting off intelligence sharing. Certainly not," he added.

At the same time, Väli acknowledged that Europe cannot provide Ukraine with intelligence on the same scale or of the same quality as the United States did.

According to Väli, the lack of intelligence does not disrupt the operation of weapons systems but rather their effectiveness.

"The issue is how well you can identify a target. If the target is so far away that satellite imaging is required, then it becomes problematic. But otherwise, the weapons systems still function," he explained.

This week, U.S. President Donald Trump also ordered a pause in military aid to Ukraine.

Väli said this poses problems for Ukraine, particularly with specific weapons systems.

"The biggest issue is with highly specialized weapons systems. When we talk about conventional artillery, howitzers or mortars, there are no major problems. I believe issues may arise, for example, with some highly specialized ammunition for 155-millimeter artillery, which may only be available from the United States," Väli explained.

"But the bigger problem is with systems like the Patriot missiles, which come exclusively from the U.S. Those specific systems. Or if we talk about HIMARS or ATACMS missiles. So, the major issue lies in certain specialized areas. However, conventional warfare will continue, and Europe is capable of supplying standard artillery shells and other necessary munitions," he added.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!