KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed that the United States has resumed critical intelligence sharing with Kyiv, ending a brief, precarious suspension that left Ukraine’s air defenses vulnerable to Russian ballistic missile strikes.
In an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” released Sunday, Zelensky expressed relief that the vital flow of data had been restored. “It was blocked for some period of time. And then it was deblocked by the American side. We are very thankful for this. Now it works,” he said. The president noted that the intelligence provided by the U.S. is “unique” and essential for alerting his forces to incoming ballistic threats, lamenting that during the recent three-day blackout, Ukraine was effectively flying blind.
The resumption of intelligence comes amid a week of escalating tensions between Kyiv and the Trump administration. Beyond the intelligence pause, Ukraine has reported significant service restrictions on Starshield, the military-grade satellite network operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Zelensky characterized these technical slowdowns as a deliberate “message from the American government” to pressure Ukraine, particularly following public criticism from President Donald Trump regarding Ukraine’s targeting of Russian oil refineries.
The White House has vehemently rejected the accusation of interference. “President Trump and Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio have categorically said that no one in the Trump administration did that,” said a U.S. official, identified as Bessent, during the same NBC program. “I think it is very reckless for President Zelensky to make such a charge.” Musk, meanwhile, has deflected responsibility, stating that any service disruptions would be at the direction of the U.S. government.
The friction is further fueled by a major policy pivot in Washington. On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order waiving a sweeping package of sanctions and tariffs against Russia that had been passed by Congress just last month. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the move as a “60-day pause” intended to study the impact on the global economy. The reprieve follows a deal between Trump and Vladimir Putin to permit the export of Russian diesel, a maneuver reportedly aimed at lowering U.S. fuel prices ahead of next month’s midterm elections.
Zelensky warned that the waiver directly undermines Ukraine’s defense. “It’s strengthening Putin’s war against us,” he said, describing the potential for Washington to shift its support as a “historic mistake and a big tragedy.”
Despite these setbacks, the Ukrainian leader maintained a diplomatic tone, insisting that he still views Trump as an ally. “We want to trust him, and I hope that he will change his decisions,” Zelensky said. “Because I think that it’s all mistakes and it will not help us. And it will not help United States.” As the conflict approaches its third year, the future of the U.S.-Ukraine partnership remains the central, and increasingly volatile, focus of the war.
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