Relations between Washington and Kyiv are deteriorating sharply as US President Donald Trump publicly criticizes his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while Ukraine accuses the US of delaying weapons shipments and intelligence.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Monday, Trump said Ukraine should send someone other than Zelenskyy to negotiate an end to the war with Russia. According to him, the Ukrainian leader could have settled the war long ago and would have secured a better deal had he followed US advice. "Perhaps it's time for Zelenskyy to find someone else to negotiate," Trump said.
The criticism follows days of tension between the two leaders. On Sunday, Trump said on Truth Social that Zelenskyy does not want to end the war. Earlier in the month, he called for replacing the Ukrainian president and branded Zelenskyy a "warmonger" over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
At the same time, the US president defended his decision to exempt Russia from sanctions, arguing that Moscow needed to be kept at the negotiating table. Zelenskyy said the move "will harm Ukraine" and strengthens the military efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In early October, Trump also announced a plan for Russia to supply more than 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US and global markets, aimed at cooling fuel prices that had surged after the US and Israel launched hostilities with Iran in late February. The decision drew criticism not only in Kyiv but also from European partners and US officials, who argued it benefits Moscow while the war in Ukraine continues.
In a meeting with US senators on Monday, Zelenskyy said the Trump administration's decisions "are hard to explain among friends." The Ukrainian leader said weapons shipments had been delayed and intelligence sharing restricted.
According to Zelenskyy, the Pentagon is delaying the delivery of missiles that partners have already paid for through the Ukraine Priority Requirements List (PURL) program. He said at least one missile package is awaiting the signature of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In addition, several European countries are ready to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stockpiles but are still waiting for US approval.
In a video posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said that three times in the past week Ukraine had received no advance warning of Russian attacks, which partners normally provide. Last week, he also suggested that Starlink service disruptions in Ukraine were "deliberate," though US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected the accusation.
The bilateral tensions come as US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Norway this week for the next round of talks on ending the war in Ukraine, according to Reuters, citing three sources familiar with the matter. Two sources said they expect Zelenskyy to attend the meetings.
The talks in Oslo are expected to include Zelenskyy, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, representatives of the E4 group comprising Britain, France, Germany and Poland, as well as the European Union and NATO.
