Biden tells top national security officials leaks about intelligence sharing with Ukrainians must stop
By Kaitlan Collins, CNN
(CNN) -- President Joe Biden recently told his top national security officials that leaks about US intelligence sharing with Ukrainians aren't helpful and need to stop, according to an official familiar with the conversation.
Last week, after the White House denied providing direct intelligence to Ukrainians "with the intent to kill Russian generals," Biden spoke separately with Defense Secretary Austin, CIA Director Burns and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. He told them that it was not helpful for information to become public about what the U.S. was sharing with the Ukrainian forces fighting the Russian invasion, an official said, and stressed that the leaks regarding such information must stop.
Biden's message to his top national security officials was first reported by NBC News.
US officials have been candid about intelligence sharing with Ukrainians but have also said there is a line in what is shared with them. In addition to sending weapons for the battlefield, officials have also provided intelligence "to help the Ukrainians defend their country," a spokesperson for the National Security Council said last week.
This is a breaking story and will be updated.
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