Zelenskyy Urges U.S. to Release Interceptor Missiles as Tensions Mount Over Defense Delays and Starshield Restrictions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pressed the United States to clear shipments of crucial air defense interceptors if the Trump administration is unable to halt Russian aggression, warning that his country’s energy infrastructure remains dangerously exposed to ongoing bombardment.
In an interview published Tuesday with the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, Zelenskyy addressed the escalating diplomatic friction between Kyiv and Washington. “If you cannot rein Putin in, then give us interceptor missiles so I can protect our energy infrastructure,” he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The appeal comes as daily Russian missile and drone attacks continue to strike Kyiv and other urban centers, claiming civilian lives. Kyiv officials reported that at least four people were killed in the capital during recent overnight attacks, which Zelenskyy noted occurred without advance warning from international partners. Relations between Washington and Kyiv have grown increasingly strained following a turbulent period of public sparring.
Zelenskyy has accused the Trump administration of delaying delivery of U.S.-made Patriot air defense interceptors that were purchased by European nations for Ukraine’s defense. He stated earlier this week that he believes a deliberate political decision has slowed down support, adding that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had not signed off on the shipments. Ukraine has nearly depleted its existing stockpile of Patriot interceptors, which are vital for downing incoming Russian ballistic missiles.
Speaking to reporters while on a visit to India, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration, insisting that nothing has been deliberately denied to Ukraine. Rubio acknowledged that a batch of purchased interceptors might not have been delivered yet, but attributed the delay to high global demand and the necessity of balancing obligations to other international partners and U.S. military requirements.
“Every other country in the world also wanted Patriots,” Rubio said. “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. It’s probably the most in-demand product right now in the defense field. So, when a country doesn’t get interceptors from the United States, it’s not because we’re denying.”
Rubio added that President Trump has grown frustrated by accusations that his administration is intentionally harming Ukraine or has ordered intelligence sharing to be cut off. He asserted that such claims are false and unfair.
The diplomatic fallout also involves a dispute over satellite communications. Zelenskyy maintained that Ukraine remains unable to use Starshield, the military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite network, which Ukrainian forces rely on to intercept Russian attack drones. However, the Trump administration has denied restricting the capability. A senior Pentagon official stated that there have been no changes to Department of War policy regarding intelligence sharing or capabilities enabled through European partners.
Ahead of high-level diplomatic engagements in Norway, where Zelenskyy was scheduled to meet U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and participate remotely with presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store announced that Finnish President Alexander Stubb would also join the talks. The meeting aims to steer ongoing diplomatic efforts toward a more constructive path.
Simultaneously, broader international maneuvers have added to Kyiv’s anxiety. President Trump recently waived certain sanctions on Russian energy sales to ease domestic U.S. gas prices driven by conflict involving Iran. Zelenskyy argued that the relief could embolden Moscow to intensify its four-and-a-half-year invasion. Furthermore, proposals for a potential summit between Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Vladimir Putin have raised alarms in Kyiv. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha warned this week that any discussions regarding his country’s fate held without Ukrainian participation would only encourage further Russian aggression.
