France steps up to help Ukraine after US suspends intelligence sharing

France has offered to share intelligence with Ukraine after the United States announced it was suspending its intelligence-gathering with Kyiv in the country's war with Russia.

In an interview with a French radio station, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said his country had the resources to help Ukraine.

But Mr Lecornu acknowledged that "for our British friends who are in an intelligence community with the United States, it is more complicated".

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France is not part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing agreement, like the UK. The agreement sees information shared between the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The US suspension, which was announced by CIA director John Ratcliffe, came after the US also halted military aid to Ukraine.

The decision could affect Ukraine's ability to effectively use long-range Western weapons, such as US-made Himars launchers.

It could also deprive Kyiv of advance information about potential incoming threats.

The US is using the suspension to try to pressure Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky into cooperating with president Donald Trump's peace talks.

This pressure appears to have worked, with Mr Trump claiming he had received a letter from Mr Zelensky stating he was willing to negotiate.

"I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause, I think, will go away," Mr Ratcliffe told Fox Business Network.

This follows news that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered offensive cyber operations against Russia.

The New York Times reported that one current official and two former officials were briefed on the secret instructions made to US Cyber Command.