Zelenskyy thanks U.S. for resuming intelligence sharing, voices concern over Russia policy

[Financial News] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for the resumption of U.S. military intelligence sharing, which had been temporarily suspended.
Ukraine carried out its largest attack on Russia since the start of the war, deploying around 1,000 drones.
In an interview with the U.S. NBC News program Meet the Press, which aired on the 18th (local time), President Zelenskyy said, “Intelligence sharing was cut off for a period and then restored by the U.S. side,” adding, “I am very grateful for this, and it is now operating normally.”
He added, “Only the U.S. has the unique intelligence capability to warn us in advance when Russia launches ballistic missiles,” and “During the three days when intelligence sharing was cut off, ballistic missile attacks continued, but we received no information about them at all.”
Recently, Ukraine has faced difficulties not only over the suspension of intelligence sharing but also over restrictions on Elon Musk’s SpaceX satellite service, which it uses for communications on the front lines. This happened shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Ukraine and called for it to halt attacks on Russian oil refineries.
Zelenskyy claimed, “It was a message from the U.S. government to limit the pace, and I believe SpaceX technically carried it out.”
The Trump administration, however, immediately denied the allegations. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on the same program and strongly rebutted the claim, saying, “President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have made clear that no one in the administration gave such an order,” and “This claim by President Zelenskyy is highly irresponsible.” He did not, however, offer an alternative explanation for the communications disruptions Ukraine experienced.
President Zelenskyy also voiced strong concern over changes in U.S. policy toward Russia. President Trump recently signed an executive order suspending large-scale sanctions and tariffs on Russia that had been approved by the U.S. Congress. The move followed an agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow imports of Russian diesel to stabilize oil prices ahead of next month’s U.S. midterm elections. Secretary of State Rubio described it as “a 60-day pause to analyze the impact on the global economy.”
Zelenskyy said that suspending sanctions on Russia “amounts to strengthening Putin’s ability to wage war,” and warned that if the U.S. officially sided with Russia, it would be “a historic mistake and a huge tragedy.”
Zelenskyy nevertheless stressed that he believed he still had bipartisan support in Washington and continued to regard President Trump as an ally. He added, “We want to trust him, and we hope he changes his decision. All of the current decisions are mistakes because they help neither Ukraine nor the United States.”
Amid tensions between the U.S. and Ukraine over attacks on oil facilities, Ukraine launched its largest attack since the start of the war, sending around 1,000 drones against oil terminals and other targets in St. Petersburg, Russia. The attack killed one person and injured five.
A data center belonging to Russian IT company VK and a logistics center belonging to retailer Ozon were also attacked by Ukrainian drones.
At least two people were killed in two attacks by Russian forces in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 1,015 Ukrainian drones over Crimea, the Black Sea and 15 Russian regions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the TASS news agency that Ukraine was resisting Russia’s invasion but that this would not change the current situation.
[email protected] Yoon Jae-jun Reporter