Crisis of trust in the Western intelligence community: competition between European and American geopolitical dynamics fuels the emergence of an alternative to the "Five Eyes" Alliance

On February 17, 2025, during her speech at a meeting of the UN Working Group on Cybersecurity, a senior representative of the US State Department, Liesel Franz, did not include Russia in the list of the main cyber threats to the United States, mentioning only China and Iran.

This fact, as well as the decision of US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to stop offensive cyber operations against Russia, indicate a change in Washington's strategic course.

The above decisions were accompanied by the White House's refusal to share intelligence with Kyiv and the start of a trade war with the US's traditional partners, Canada and the European Union.

There have also been statements by the US President that Ottawa is overly reliant on Washington's military protection and, therefore, should be incorporated into the United States.

This has caused a serious crisis of confidence among Western democracies, jeopardizing the integrity of the transatlantic partnership.