The Trump administration has given the Pentagon and US intelligence agencies the green light to start providing Ukraine with intelligence for long-range missile strikes on Russia’s energy infrastructure, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal, citing US officials.
The decision was formalized in an order recently signed by President Donald Trump, who also urged NATO allies to enhance similar intelligence-sharing efforts, according to officials who spoke with the WSJ.
The officials said this intelligence will enable Ukraine to target refineries, pipelines, power stations, and other infrastructure located far from its borders, aiming to reduce oil supplies that support the Russian occupation.
The intelligence, combined with more powerful weapons, could have a significantly stronger impact than Ukraine’s earlier strikes in Russia, leading to more damage to its energy infrastructure and complicating Russian air defenses.
One option under consideration, according to US officials, is the potential transfer of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Kyiv, though no final decision has yet been made. This decision marks the first time since the war began that the Trump administration will allow Ukraine to strike Russian targets with long-range missiles.
However, US officials are still waiting for written instructions from the White House before they can share the required intelligence, one official told the WSJ.
Trump shifts policy on Ukraine
Since taking office nine months ago, the Trump administration has restricted Kyiv’s access to the most advanced US-made weapons, such as ATACMS, and limited the intelligence shared for long-range strikes.
On March 5, 2025, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed the US had cut intelligence sharing with Ukraine, followed two days later by Maxar suspending Kyiv’s satellite imagery access on an “administrative request.” The decision was reversed a week later.
Throughout spring 2025, the Pentagon quietly prevented Ukraine from using US-made ATACMS to hit targets inside Russia, requiring case-by-case approval from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. The same limitations were placed on European missiles that depend on US technology or intelligence, including Franco-British SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles.
The recent decision to allow more intelligence signifies a change in the Trump administration’s policy.
In September 2025, the US Department of State (DOS) approved two separate arms sales to Ukraine: a proposed sale worth approximately $825 million arms of long-range missiles and a potential sale valued at $179.1 million deal to support Ukraine’s Patriot air defense systems.
The decision also reflects a notable shift in President Trump’s approach and public statements regarding the Ukraine-Russia war. In a post on Truth Social, posted on September 23, 2025, the president said that Ukraine could reclaim all of its territory in its original state.
In the same post, the president expressed frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling Russia a “paper tiger” and said it has been fighting the war “aimlessly” for three and a half years.
