Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Zelensky response to Trump sharpened on Tuesday, when he said Trump should provide interceptor missiles if Trump cannot rein Vladimir Putin in. Zelenskyy said the missiles would help him protect Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as Russian drone and missile attacks continued on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities.
Zelenskyy and Trump
Zelenskyy told Corriere Della Sera, "If you cannot rein Putin in, then give us interceptor missiles so I can protect my energy infrastructure." The appeal came after Zelenskyy said Ukraine had nearly run out of the U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors used to take down Russian ballistic missiles, and after Zelenskyy said this week that the United States was delaying delivery of Patriots already purchased by European nations for Ukraine.
At least four people were killed in Kyiv in the latest attacks, according to Kyiv officials on Tuesday. Zelenskyy said Monday that his country had suffered another night of Russian strikes and again there was no warning from partners.
Marco Rubio on Tuesday
Marco Rubio said later Tuesday that Trump had been "frustrated" by false accusations that he is doing things to deliberately harm Ukraine. Rubio also said nothing had been deliberately denied to Ukraine, and added that "every other country in the world" also wanted Patriots. Rubio said, "It's simply, it's a balance between our obligations to other partners and frankly our own... requirements for our own facilities as well."
Rubio also said on a visit to India: "I also talked to Saudi Arabia today. They'd like interceptors. Israel would like interceptors. We would like interceptors. Every country in the world would like interceptors." Zelenskyy, meanwhile, said Saturday that Ukraine was still unable to use Starshield to intercept Russian drones, and this week accused the Trump administration of constraining Starlink satellite data that is vital to Ukrainian forces.
Norway talks with Steve Witkoff
Zelenskyy was preparing to meet Steve Witkoff in Norway on Tuesday, with Jared Kushner expected to join remotely. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said Finnish President Alexander Stubb would also join the talks in Oslo. The meeting follows Zelenskyy’s warning that Mr. Trump’s sanctions decision on Friday could embolden Moscow to step up its four-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine, and after Mr. Trump criticized Zelenskyy for saying he would resume strikes on Russian refineries in retaliation for the latest Russian onslaught.
Whether Trump will approve the interceptor missile shipment Zelenskyy wants remains unanswered, but Zelenskyy has already linked that request to the energy grid under fire and to the air defenses that are running short.
