Reuters: US halt a number of counterintelligence operations against Russia

Several US national security agencies have halted coordinated counterintelligence operations against Russia as the Donald Trump administration seeks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. BelTA reported with reference to Reuters.

Last year former President Joe Biden last ordered his national security team to create working groups to monitor hybrid operations attributed to Russia by the West. A National Security Council (NSC)-led plan was developed that involved at least seven national security agencies working with European allies to prevent conspiracies allegedly targeting Europe and the United States.

According to former US officials, before Trump's inauguration, his new administration was briefed by Biden's officials on the effort and urged them to continue the groups' work. However, since Trump took office on January 20, much of their work came to deadlock, Reuters noted.

Current and former officials said regular meetings between the National Security Council and European national security officials have become irregular, and the NSC has also stopped formal coordination of efforts among US agencies, including the FBI, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of State.

Last month, the FBI stopped trying to counter US election meddling by foreign adversaries, including Russia, and placed the employees working on the issue at the Department of Homeland Security on leave.

It is unclear to what extent the US is still sharing intelligence related to the sabotage campaign with European allies

EU Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anitta Hipper said she had no specific information to share when asked about the suspension of some intelligence-sharing meetings. She said the EU is coordinating with NATO to counter hybrid threats, which encompass everything from physical sabotage of critical infrastructure to disinformation campaigns.

The pause in interagency efforts came amid Trump's shifting US policy toward Europe and Ukraine, Reuters notes. The US President said that the conflict in Ukraine must be ended, as it could escalate into World War III. He also said that improving relations with Russia was in America's strategic interests.

Asked about the suspension of Washington's efforts to track the hybrid warfare campaign, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the Trump Administration was trying to get rid of "everything inefficient, corrupt and ridiculous", which he said was "understandable". He added that Western accusations that Russia was sabotaging the United States and Europe were "empty and ephemeral" and unproven.