WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has paused offensive cyberoperations against Russia by U.S. Cyber Command, rolling back some efforts to contend with a key adversary even as national security experts call for the U.S. to expand those capabilities.

Russia has intensified cyber operations against Ukraine and NATO countries, according to previous U.S. intelligence and private sector reports.

U.S. Cyber Command has been ordered to halt offensive operations against Russia, according to reports.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's instruction, part of a move to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin into talks about the war in Ukraine,