Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says U.S. intelligence sharing was blocked for three days but is now restored

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine was blocked for three days before being restored, leaving Kyiv without information it relies on to detect incoming Russian ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy made the remarks in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” aired on October 18. “It was blocked for a period of time, and then it was unblocked by the American side. We are very thankful. Now it works,” he said.

He said only the United States has some of the intelligence Ukraine needs to identify when Russia launches ballistic missiles and added: “We didn’t get it for three days.”

Zelenskyy also said restrictions remain on satellite communications used by Ukraine. Asked who was responsible for disruptions to Starlink and Starshield, he said Ukraine believed a message from the U.S. government led to reduced speeds and that SpaceX carried out the technical restriction.

That account conflicts with statements from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Saturday that no one at the White House ordered Starlink speeds to be reduced and that Ukraine does not currently have access to Starshield. Reuters reported earlier this week, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official, that an instruction originating inside the White House was sent to the Pentagon to limit Starshield service used by the Ukrainian military.

Zelenskyy also criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to waive new Russia sanctions and the U.S.-Russia diesel arrangement, saying the measures strengthen President Vladimir Putin’s war effort. “I hope that Trump will change his decisions, because I think they are all mistakes,” he said.

Asked whether he still viewed Trump as an ally, Zelenskyy replied: “I hope so.” He said a formal U.S. shift to Russia’s side would be “a historic mistake” and warned that Ukraine would not be able to withstand the war if Washington openly backed Moscow.

“We hope that Trump will be on our side, or at least in the middle,” Zelenskyy said.