Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday accused the United States of intentionally delaying the delivery of missile interceptors that European countries had already purchased for Ukraine. His remarks came as US President Donald Trump renewed his criticism of Zelenskyy and suggested that Ukraine should consider appointing another person to negotiate an end to its war with Russia. Addressing US senators, Zelenskyy said the Pentagon had not released missiles that European nations had paid for. According to him, the shipment was awaiting approval from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. “The missiles are ready, and they could already be in Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. “But unfortunately, there is still no approval." Zelenskyy added that several European countries were willing to provide Patriot missile interceptors from their own stockpiles. However, they could not transfer the weapons without authorisation from Washington. The dispute highlights growing tensions between Kyiv and Washington over military support, intelligence cooperation and the US approach to negotiations with Moscow.

Trump Questions Zelenskyy’s Role in Peace Negotiations

Trump once again criticised Zelenskyy and questioned whether the Ukrainian president should continue leading negotiations to end the war. “Maybe it’s time for Zelenskyy to get somebody else to negotiate," Trump told reporters on Monday. He also dismissed Zelenskyy’s position while defending a diesel supply agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Zelensky doesn’t know what he’s talking about," Trump said, adding that Russia had been “fine" and “haven’t been doing much". Trump’s comments have further highlighted the differences between the US and Ukrainian governments over how to end the conflict. Kyiv has continued to seek military assistance and security support, while Washington’s engagement with Moscow has become a source of concern for Ukrainian officials.

Ukraine Says Partners Failed to Provide Early Warning of Russian Attacks

Zelenskyy also criticised Ukraine’s international partners for failing to provide advance warnings before Russia launched its latest missile attacks. The strikes targeted energy facilities and other infrastructure, leaving more than 500,000 people without electricity. Ukrainian authorities began emergency repair operations to restore power to affected areas. “Once again, there was no early warning from our partners," Zelenskyy said. Ukrainian officials reported that six people, including three children, were killed in a strike near Kharkiv. Emergency teams continued working to assess the damage and restore essential services. The lack of advance warning has raised further concerns in Kyiv about the effectiveness of intelligence cooperation with its allies, particularly as Russian attacks continue to threaten civilian areas and critical infrastructure.

US Denies Suspending Intelligence Sharing With Kyiv

The Ukrainian president’s remarks came amid questions about whether Washington had reduced its intelligence support for Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied that the United States had stopped sharing intelligence with Kyiv. Trump also maintained that Washington continued to provide intelligence to Ukraine. The statements from US officials came as the two governments faced renewed scrutiny over their military and intelligence cooperation. Zelenskyy’s concerns about the absence of advance warnings, however, underscored the continuing uncertainty surrounding the support Ukraine receives from its partners.

Ukraine Warns Against Potential Trump-Putin-Xi Meeting

Meanwhile, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga expressed concern about the possibility of a meeting involving Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Sybiga warned that such a meeting could “only encourage Putin to continue this war". His comments reflect Kyiv’s concern that direct engagement between major world leaders could strengthen Moscow’s position without adequately addressing Ukraine’s security interests. As diplomatic discussions continue, Ukraine remains focused on securing additional air defence weapons, maintaining intelligence cooperation with its partners and preventing further Russian attacks. The latest exchange of criticism between Zelenskyy and Trump highlights the challenges facing efforts to reach a settlement to the war.