Zelensky says US support for Putin would be 'historic mistake and tragedy'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (local time) thanked the United States for resuming military intelligence sharing that had been suspended, even as he continued to openly criticize the diesel fuel deal Donald Trump struck with Vladimir Putin.

Speaking in an interview with NBC News, Zelensky said the sharing of military intelligence — including early warnings of missile strikes — had been blocked for a period before Washington lifted the restriction. "I am very grateful for this," he said. "It is now being shared normally."

Zelensky said the United States is the only country with the unique intelligence capability to warn Ukraine when Russia is preparing a ballistic missile attack, adding that Ukraine had gone three days without detecting Russian ballistic missile strikes.

Zelensky had publicly pushed back against Trump after the US president reached an agreement with Putin to ease sanctions on Russia and allow the resumption of Russian diesel fuel sales. Trump fired back, saying he did not "particularly like" Zelensky and that he was "harder to deal with than Putin."

Reports subsequently emerged that the United States had cut off intelligence sharing with Ukraine and that SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, had restricted Starshield — the satellite internet service it provides to the Ukrainian military.

On the Starshield restrictions, Zelensky said he believed the US government had ordered the cutback and that SpaceX had carried it out on a technical level, adding that limitations remain in place.

Asked whether he still believed Trump was an ally of Ukraine, Zelensky said, "I hope so."

"I am very frank and clear with the US president and strongly support America, because we are strategic partners — that is the kind of relationship I understand and respect," he said. He added that he could not applaud any decision or statement by any leader that works against Ukraine or directly supports Russia, "especially Putin." "Putin is a murderer," Zelensky said. "I would rather have a frank and clear partner than someone who smiles and is still a murderer."

Zelensky said that if the United States were to side with Putin, "I cannot believe it — it would be a historic mistake and a great tragedy." He added: "If America officially takes Russia's side and the two countries become one bloc, we cannot win and we cannot hold on. That is why we want the president and his team to be on our side, or at least to remain neutral."

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Zelensky's claim that the US administration had intentionally disrupted Ukraine's Starshield access "very irresponsible."

Appearing on NBC News, Bessent said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio had "firmly stated that no one in the Trump administration did such a thing."

Bessent also repeatedly dodged when the NBC host asked three times whether Ukraine is a US ally.

To the first question, Bessent said, "President Trump wants to end this war." When pressed, he said, "We are providing three different things to Ukraine — that is what you do for allies. We are not providing those things to Russia."

When the host asked the same question a third time, Bessent said, "I am not the secretary of state. I am not the president." His response was widely interpreted as suggesting that Ukraine's diplomatic relationship with the United States falls outside his purview.