**US Agencies Stop Helping International Partners Against Russian Sabotage**
Some US national security agencies have stopped working with international partners to stop Russian sabotage and cyber attacks. This was reported by Reuters on March 19, based on information from unknown official sources.
The news comes at a time when the Trump administration is trying to improve relations with Russia while negotiating a peace deal in Ukraine. Before taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump’s team was informed about Russian disruptive activities by the Biden administration during a transition period.
**US Stops Helping Europe Against Russian Sabotage**
Since President Trump took office, the National Security Council has stopped coordinating efforts to stop Russian sabotage with European partners. It is unclear if this decision came from the entire Trump administration or just individual agencies. Reuters reported that meetings with European partners were expected but did not happen.
This news follows earlier reports claiming that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a halt to all cyber operations against Russia. However, the Pentagon denied this claim.
**US Cuts Support for Ukraine**
The US has also stopped supporting a group tracking Ukrainian children abducted by Russia. Additionally, Washington is moving out of a body investigating Russian leaders for crimes in Ukraine and has frozen funding from USAID that was crucial for humanitarian, economic, and social projects in the country.
The US had already paused military and intelligence support for Ukraine to push them to negotiate. The US has threatened additional sanctions against Russia unless they agree to a ceasefire. However, these sanctions have not been implemented yet, putting more pressure on Ukraine.
**Trump Talks to Putin**
On March 18, President Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a pause in strikes against Ukrainian and Russian energy facilities, as well as the possibility of US-Russian economic cooperation. This has raised concerns in Europe and Kyiv that Washington might cut a peace deal unfavorable to its allies.
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