US President Donald Trump renewed pressure on President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, Oct. 20, demanding that Kyiv reach a deal with Russia even as Moscow continues its deadly attacks on Ukrainian civilians and Washington faces growing criticism over delays in vital air defense supplies.
Trump’s remarks came amid growing concerns from a bipartisan group of US lawmakers, including Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin was manipulating Trump while American-made Patriot interceptors intended for Ukraine remained held up.
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“We want Zelensky to make a deal. He can make a deal. He could have made a deal two years ago when we had our little chat in the Oval Office,” Trump told reporters.
“He’s going to have to want to make a deal, because I don’t think his people are going to stand for it any longer,” he added.
Trump was referring to his confrontation with Zelensky in the Oval Office in February 2025, when he and Vice President JD Vance publicly criticized the Ukrainian leader during a televised meeting.
His latest demand came as Russia continued its deadly missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities, including a strike on a park in the Kharkiv region that killed a one-year-old girl in her stroller, her mother and four others.
‘Putin Is Playing President Trump Like a Fiddle’ – Republican Senator
Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina warned that Putin was exploiting Washington’s willingness to ease pressure on Moscow.
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Speaking to CNN’s Erin Burnett on Monday evening after a bipartisan call with Zelensky, Tillis said the Ukrainian president had raised serious concerns about reduced early-warning intelligence, restrictions affecting Starlink and Starshield, and difficulties obtaining urgently needed Patriot missiles.
“Russians are lying. Putin is lying. Putin is playing President Trump like a fiddle,” Tillis said.
He warned that America’s response to Putin’s war would be judged by history.
“History is not going to look good on an America that failed to rise up and defend the Western world if Putin actually gets his way,” the senator said.
Tillis, who visited Kyiv and Kharkiv about a month earlier, described witnessing the devastation caused by Russian attacks, including destroyed civilian facilities and schools forced to conduct lessons underground.
He rejected Trump’s suggestion that Moscow had done little in Ukraine.
“He is a murderer, and not doing a lot? What does that mean? He only killed 20 or 30 people a day versus a thousand?” Tillis asked, referring to Putin.
“One life is too many at the hands of Vladimir Putin, and President Trump should know better.”
Tillis also condemned the possibility of a summit between Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss the war without Ukrainian representation.
“I believe that a summit with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, two countries who want to overwhelm the world, is absurd,” he said.
Patriot Missiles Held Up as Russia Kills Ukrainian Children
The dispute over US military assistance has become particularly urgent as Ukraine faces continuing Russian ballistic missile and drone attacks.
During his call with American lawmakers, Zelensky described shortages of Patriot interceptor missiles and disruptions affecting essential battlefield capabilities, according to Tillis.
The senator said European countries were prepared to transfer American-made Patriot interceptors to Ukraine but were awaiting authorization from Washington.
“President Zelensky also mentioned that a part of what they want are simply Patriot missiles that are coming from third-party countries that are prepared to provide it if we get an okay here,” Tillis said.
“I want to know who in the government is saying no to those transfers.”
“This is not even taking it from our inventories. This is allowing it to be transferred from other European nations,” he said.
Tillis delivered a warning about the consequences of delaying those transfers.
“Whoever that person is that’s making that conscious decision has the blood on their hands every bit as much as Vladimir Putin in these strikes that are occurring right now.”
The senator acknowledged that he was still seeking confirmation of the reported restrictions and wanted to establish who was responsible.
His comments followed The Washington Post’s reporting that the Trump administration had not approved the transfer of Patriot interceptors from allied countries, despite Ukraine’s rapidly dwindling supplies.
A source familiar with the process told Reuters that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had not approved Ukraine’s latest interceptor requests, although most other deliveries under the European-funded PURL program continued.
Rubio Denies Deliberate Restrictions as Zelensky Reports Intelligence Restored
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pushed back against suggestions that the Trump administration had deliberately curtailed vital assistance to Ukraine.
Following a 45-minute conversation with Zelensky on Tuesday, Rubio denied that Washington had ordered intelligence-sharing to be stopped or intentionally withheld military support.
“There has not been some deliberate political directive to go out and harm Ukraine,” Rubio said.
He acknowledged that Patriot interceptors purchased by European countries might not yet have reached Ukraine but maintained that any delay was not the result of a political decision to punish Kyiv.
Hegseth similarly denied a change in US policy, pointing to the need to preserve American interceptor stockpiles.
Speaking later Tuesday in Oslo after meeting Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff, Zelensky said Ukraine was again receiving crucial early-warning intelligence.
“We are thankful that intelligence works now,” he said, emphasizing that advance warnings allow civilians to take shelter before Russian ballistic missiles strike.
“Now it works. It’s great.”
Zelensky also said his discussions with Rubio had covered Patriot missiles and Starlink, expressing hope that outstanding problems could be resolved.
US Reports Progress in Oslo Ahead of Witkoff-Putin Meeting
Despite the tensions between Washington and Kyiv, US officials described Tuesday’s talks in Oslo as productive, reporting progress toward a coordinated negotiating position ahead of fresh discussions with Moscow.
A US official told AFP that Zelensky had held “very productive and constructive discussions” with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff.
“Ukraine brought forward new ideas and proposals, which were discussed in detail,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
“The parties made meaningful progress in aligning on a coordinated approach to engaging Russia and advancing the diplomatic process.”
Witkoff is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Oct. 21, with Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner participating virtually, according to the official.
The reported progress comes as Kyiv seeks firm security guarantees and continued military support, while Washington prepares for another round of direct talks with Putin.