Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and discussions regarding potential peace, it has been revealed that the director of national intelligence issued a directive to the U.S. intelligence community. This directive, issued weeks ago, instructed that all information pertaining to the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations should not be shared with U.S.-allied intelligence partners.
The memo, dated July 20 and signed by the director, specifically prohibited the sharing of information with the Five Eyes alliance. This alliance comprises the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. According to multiple U.S. intelligence officials, the directive classified all analysis and information related to the peace negotiations as "NOFORN," meaning it could not be disseminated to any foreign country or individual. The only exception was information that had already been publicly released. The memo also restricted the distribution of materials concerning the peace talks to within the agencies that created or originated the intelligence.
The directive does not appear to prevent the sharing of diplomatic information gathered through other means, separate from the U.S. intelligence community, or military operational information unrelated to the talks. This includes details shared with the Ukrainian military to aid in their defensive operations. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence referred questions to the White House, which did not respond to requests for comment.
Former intelligence officials have expressed differing views on the implications of the directive. Some believe it could undermine the intelligence community alliance, potentially discouraging analysts from sharing insights and eroding trust among allies. Others contend that such directives are commonplace within the U.S. intelligence community, and the criticism is unwarranted. They argue that the U.S. and its allies frequently withhold information from each other in areas where interests diverge.
0 Comments