Zelenskyy Meets US Envoys as Ukraine Questions Military Support

Ukraine's efforts to defend itself against Russian attacks have become a point of dispute with Washington as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy raises concerns about delays in military assistance and restrictions on intelligence support. On Tuesday, October 20, 2026, US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, were scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy in Oslo as diplomatic efforts to end the war continued.

The Norwegian government said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb would also participate in the talks. The meeting comes amid growing questions in Congress and among US allies about Washington's approach to negotiations following several recent moves by Trump that appeared to favor Russia.

Ukraine has raised concerns about delayed deliveries of ballistic missile interceptors, a lack of advance warnings before Russian missile attacks, and speed restrictions affecting Starshield, the military version of SpaceX's satellite service. Zelenskyy said Ukraine's interceptor supplies were nearly exhausted.

Addressing a bipartisan Congressional delegation virtually on Monday, Zelenskyy said the restrictions suggested a change in Washington's approach.

"All of this suggests that some political decision has been made to slow down support for us," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president also said early Tuesday that he had held a substantive discussion with Secretary of State Marco Rubio about missile interceptors, advance warnings of ballistic attacks, and Starshield restrictions.

"a substantive conversation" was how Zelenskyy described the exchange in his public account, while expressing appreciation for the US secretary of state.

"everyone in America who supports fair approaches." Zelenskyy thanked those Americans in the same statement.

Rubio disputed Kyiv's claims after a 45-minute call with Zelenskyy. Speaking at the start of a trip to India, the secretary of state said US policy toward Ukraine had not changed.

"There's nothing being deliberately denied to Ukraine," Rubio said.

Rubio acknowledged that Washington faced competing demands for missile interceptors, which are needed by the United States and its international partners. He described the equipment as highly sought after across the defense industry.

"the most in-demand product" was Rubio's description of the interceptors as he explained the pressure on available supplies.

"When a country doesn't get interceptors from the United States, it's not because we are denying," Rubio said, adding that the United States also had its own requirements to meet.

Rubio also rejected Ukraine's broader allegations that US restrictions had disrupted military operations and weakened the country's ability to intercept Russian missiles.

"That's scandalous, that's outrageous, that's just simply not true. That's not accurate," Rubio said Tuesday.

Earlier, Rubio had characterized the allegation that Washington was withdrawing support as scandalous. His remarks followed Zelenskyy's repeated complaints that changes in US assistance were making it harder for Ukraine to protect its population.

Trump, meanwhile, publicly criticized Zelenskyy on Monday and urged the Ukrainian president to seek a different negotiator.

"get somebody else to negotiate," Trump said in his latest rebuke of Zelenskyy.

Trump has waived sanctions and agreed to a diesel deal with Russia in what the source report described as an effort to reduce fuel prices ahead of the US midterm elections. He also appeared to minimize the impact of Russian attacks on Ukraine, which have killed civilians and devastated towns during the war.

"Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine," Trump told reporters.

"They haven't been doing much," Trump added.

Ukraine said it received no advance warning from the United States before Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv on Sunday, marking the third such instance in recent days, according to the Ukrainian government.

The dispute unfolded as the Kremlin expressed interest in hosting further talks with Trump's representatives. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he hoped a meeting in Russia could take place in the near future but provided no specific timetable.

Separately, officials in Ukraine's Kharkiv region said a Russian attack on a public park killed a one-year-old girl and her mother. Regional officials shared images of the child in a stroller on Monday.

Zelenskyy condemned the attack in a public statement.

"The world has enough strength to stop the war. That strength must finally be used — against the murderers," Zelenskyy said.