Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that the ongoing war with Russia must be brought to an end, announcing that his government is actively preparing for the next diplomatic steps to resolve the conflict. Writing on the social media platform X on Sunday, Zelenskyy detailed that he held discussions with American presidential envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He emphasized that while a significant amount depends on the position of the United States, numerous critical factors remain central to all involved parties.
The diplomatic push comes amid a period of tension between Kyiv and Washington. On Saturday, US President Donald Trump waived anticipated sanctions that had targeted Russia’s energy economy and previously criticized renewed Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy infrastructure as disgraceful. Despite this friction, Zelenskyy maintained that his administration remains in virtually nonstop communication with American counterparts, focusing particularly on the outcomes of recent talks held in Florida and charting subsequent actions.
Simultaneously, bilateral discussions have touched on sensitive technological and intelligence cooperation. Zelenskyy expressed gratitude that the United States has resumed intelligence sharing with Ukraine following a temporary pause that left the country vulnerable to regular ballistic missile strikes. Speaking in a television interview, he noted that the intelligence stream was blocked for a period before being restored by the American side, stressing that only the United States possesses the unique intelligence required to provide advance warning of Russian ballistic missile launches, a capability that was absent during attacks over a three-day window.
Complicating the technical landscape, Kyiv has reported operational restrictions affecting the speed of Starshield, the military-grade variant of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite connectivity network operated by SpaceX. Ukrainian officials stated that relays experienced limitations on receiver travel speeds while maintaining connectivity, which complicated efforts to intercept upgraded Russian jet-powered long-range drones. Musk attributed any connectivity restrictions to the jurisdiction of the US government, prompting a quick rebuke from the White House. During a Sunday interview, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent characterized Zelenskyy’s accusations regarding US throttling of connectivity as very reckless.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed on Sunday that Ukraine is currently blocked from accessing Starshield, adding that a specific request from Kyiv to utilize the system for deep strikes inside Russia remains under discussion.
On the ground, the conflict continued with extensive strikes from both sides. Ukrainian media reported that Russian attacks killed two people in the western Volyn region near the Polish border and injured at least five others across the country. Overnight assaults in the Zaporizhzhia region resulted in the death of a woman and injuries to a six-year-old child.
In a notable escalation on Saturday night and early Sunday, Ukraine launched a major drone attack against Russia’s second-largest city, St Petersburg. The strikes targeted a primary oil refinery and depot, a warehouse belonging to Russian online retailer Ozon, and a data center operated by the social media firm VKontakte. Russian state media reported that the assault was the largest on the city since the conflict began in 2022, resulting in at least one reported fatality and sending thick smoke billowing over an oil terminal.
