President Volodymyr Zelensky pressed US lawmakers on Monday, Oct. 19, for answers Washington has yet to provide about Ukraine’s restricted satellite links and the missing allied warnings of incoming Russian ballistic missiles.
Speaking during a virtual meeting with Republicans and Democrats from both the Senate and the House, Zelensky said neither problem had been explained by the US side. The meeting, Zelensky said in a statement, was arranged by Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal and Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
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“The American side has not given Ukraine any explanation for either of these two problems,” Zelensky said, adding that “Our teams will continue working on all the issues we discussed today.”
Unanswered questions for Washington
Both issues have weighed heavily on Ukraine’s air defense in recent days, as tensions between Kyiv and Washington continue escalating their public feud.
Zelensky told the lawmakers that Kyiv had again received no advance notice from partners before the first wave of Russia’s overnight ballistic missile strike. Earlier on Monday, he said such warnings had failed to come three times recently.
At the same time, Starlink and Starshield terminals are still losing connection at higher speeds on parts of the front line.
The restrictions, which began overnight on Oct. 13-14, have crippled several types of drones Ukraine uses – the interceptor drones against Russia’s jet-powered Shaheds and mid-strike drones against Russian oil refiners.
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‘This is how Russia responds’
To show lawmakers what exactly was at stake, Zelensky brought photos from Russia’s strike on a central park in Nova Vodolaha, Kharkiv region, that killed six people – including three children – earlier on Monday.
Among the killed was an infant, a little girl named Anhelina, who was just over a year old when she was killed while lying in her stroller.
“Her mother’s name was Inna; she died in the hospital… The other girl who was killed was 11 years old. My condolences to their families and loved ones,” Zelensky said in a separate statement on Monday.
According to local authorities, 15 other civilians were wounded; half of them children. Russian forces struck a park and its cafe, both full of people, including families.
Zelensky tied the attack to Washington’s recent decision to ease pressure on Moscow. “This is how Russia responds to the lifting of sanctions and the easing of pressure,” he said.
His remarks came as US President Donald Trump signed an executive on Oct. 16, waiving sweeping Russia sanctions and tariffs set to take effect just two days later.
The decision suspends 500% tariffs on Russian imports and 100% duties targeting major buyers of Russian oil and gas, and follows Trump’s latest diesel deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that drew criticism from the Congress, the EU and Ukraine.
Instead of enforcing the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, signed into law on Sept. 18, Trump lifted sanctions on Russian diesel exports through April 2027.
Led by Blumenthal, a total of 12 senators – six Republicans and six Democrats – signed a joint letter on Oct. 14 urging Trump to rescind his deal with Putin, calling it a gift to Moscow and a betrayal of Ukraine.
On Monday, US Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican, vowed investigations, public hearings and budget cuts for anyone who restricted Ukraine’s Starshield access.
Ukraine seeks more Patriots ahead of winter
Hours before the virtual congressional meeting, Zelensky hosted a delegation from Lockheed Martin in Kyiv.
The US defense giant produces both the Patriot air defense system and the F-16 fighter jets – the two weapons Ukraine leans on most against Russian ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones.
“Both areas are difficult right now,” Zelensky said. “We discussed how we can expand and increase deliveries.”
As the company expands production of ballistic missile interceptors, Kyiv hopes to purchase a part of the new output. The move is particularly important because, as of Oct. 15, Ukraine had reportedly exhausted its Patriot stocks completely.
“Almost all the ballistic missiles from the last strike were not intercepted due to lack of the [interceptor] missiles,” a source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told CNN.
Currently, PAC-3 interceptors cost roughly $4 million per missile, which makes their high cost compounded by the rate at which they are expended during sustained operations. Still, they are in short supply worldwide as countries among the world seek to rearm amid the war in Iran and Russia’s escalating rhetoric towards Europe.
As of Oct. 1, Lockheed Martin is in advanced talks over PAC-3 production outside the US as demand triples.
Dan Tenney, the company’s senior vice president for global business development and strategy, told Kyiv Post that the company is investing up to $9 billion through 2030 to expand missile production, strengthen supply chains and bring new factories online.
On July 20, Lockheed Martin introduced the PAC-3 ACE, a Patriot interceptor designed to deter air and missile threats at less than half the cost of the PAC-3 MSE variant. Initial production was expected to start within 36 months.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Germany would deliver PAC-2 missiles to Ukraine from its own Bundeswehr stocks on Sept. 8, while Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara said contracts are being signed with partners for about 1,000 Patriot missiles.
Late in September, Zelensky met with Trump on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where the US president told him he made a “final decision” to grant Ukraine the licenses to produce Patriots domestically.
The idea was initially floated during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey July 7-8, but Trump later backtracked on the promises, saying Washington must exercise caution when sharing sensitive military technology.