Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the United States of deliberately delaying the delivery of interceptor missiles to his war-torn country ahead of reported talks with a top US envoy on Tuesday.
Relations between Kyiv and Washington have soured over military aid and intelligence sharing, with Zelensky saying on Monday that Ukraine received no early warning of powerful Russian missile strikes that targeted energy facilities in the capital region.
US-led diplomatic efforts to end Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II have stalled in recent months, as Washington has shifted focus towards the war with Iran.
Zelensky told US senators on Monday that "the Pentagon is delaying the delivery of missiles" already paid for by European countries, and that the shipment was waiting for US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's signature.
He said several European countries were ready to transfer Patriot interceptor missiles from their own stockpiles but were still awaiting US approval.
"The missiles are ready, and they could already be in Ukraine," Zelensky said.
"But unfortunately, there is still no approval."
The United States has denied making any changes to intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Trump has also denied ordering a reduction in speeds on the US government-owned and -controlled Starshield network after Elon Musk, whose company SpaceX developed it, said the order could only have come from the White House.
- Strained relations -
A public rift erupted between Trump and Zelensky when the US leader partially lifted sanctions to strike a diesel-supply deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump also slammed Zelensky as a warmonger for Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries.
"Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about," Trump said on Monday in another attack on his Ukrainian counterpart.
"To be honest, I think it's time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine."
Trump said he was ready to meet Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearisation, adding that talks could also cover the Ukraine war -- fuelling fears in Kyiv that it was being sidelined.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed earlier that "the topic of such a hypothetical has indeed been mentioned" when asked about a Wall Street Journal report on Sunday that Trump, Putin and Xi could meet.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that such a meeting would "only encourage Putin to continue this war".
News outlet Axios reported that White House envoy Steve Witkoff was travelling to Oslo on Tuesday to meet Zelensky and European leaders, and then to Russia to meet Putin.
The Norwegian government said in a statement that Zelensky will be in Oslo on Tuesday, meeting the presidents of Norway and Finland.
"President Zelensky has asked Norway and Finland to organise a meeting as part of ongoing diplomatic efforts, at a critical moment for Ukraine," it said.
AFP has contacted the White House for comment.
- Russian strikes -
Zelensky also spoke to Pope Leo XIV on Monday, according to the Vatican, days after the Catholic leader held a similar call with Putin.
The Vatican said the pope had urged both sides to allow for the flow of aid into the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky, and to let civilians leave.
Russia's latest strikes again hit Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure across the country, knocking out power to more than 500,000 people and forcing emergency repairs to the battered grid.
"Once again, there was no early warning from our partners," Zelensky said, as he catalogued the damage, deaths and injuries.
A strike near the northeastern city of Kharkiv killed six people, including three children, authorities said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on a visit to Uzbekistan on Monday, denied that intelligence sharing had been withdrawn with Ukraine and backed Trump's call for Zelensky to focus on ending the conflict.
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This article originally appeared on AFP at https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/ukraine-back-foot-kremlin-moots-160302002.html