The United States has decided to give Ukraine intelligence support that will help Kyiv target Russian oil refineries, pipelines, and power plants. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, this is the first time Washington will provide intelligence for direct strikes on Russia’s energy sector. The move marks a new step in US support for Ukraine as it faces Russia’s invasion.
Officials said the goal is to cut Russia’s oil and gas revenues, which remain a major source of funding for the Kremlin’s war effort. By weakening this income, the US hopes to limit Moscow’s ability to continue its military operations. Washington has already been sharing battlefield intelligence with Kyiv since the start of the war, but this decision goes further by enabling long-range strikes inside Russian territory.
The US is also encouraging NATO allies to provide similar intelligence to strengthen Ukraine’s capacity for deep strikes. At the same time, President Donald Trump has been calling on European nations to reduce or stop imports of Russian oil and back tougher sanctions. Reports say Trump even considered tariffs on imports from India, which has been buying discounted Russian crude.
Trump has also shifted his tone in favor of Kyiv, recently writing that Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, could fight back and win all its occupied land. His comments came after a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.
Ukraine has asked for longer-range weapons from the US, including Tomahawk cruise missiles that can travel up to 2,500 kilometers. Kyiv has also started producing its own long-range missile called Flamingo, but production numbers are still unclear.
Russia, meanwhile, has pushed back against growing Western pressure. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said countries such as Turkey are free to continue trading with Moscow if it serves their interests.
G7 finance ministers have also pledged to tighten restrictions on buyers of Russian oil and others helping Moscow avoid sanctions. This latest decision by Washington shows how the conflict is expanding beyond the battlefield, targeting the economic foundations of Russia’s war.
