US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has flatly denied that Washington ever suspended intelligence sharing with Ukraine, pushing back against claims from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that a three-day halt had left his country exposed to Russian missile attacks.
"There has been no pause," Rubio told reporters on Monday during a visit to Uzbekistan, where he was meeting Central Asian officials. His remarks came a day after Zelenskyy told NBC's Meet the Press that the intelligence flow had been "deblocked by the American side" following a brief interruption.
Rubio, who was in Samarkand as part of a broader diplomatic tour, stressed that President Donald Trump's priority is to push both Kyiv and Moscow toward negotiations. "What he should be focused on, and what we want to be focused on, is bringing an end to this war," Rubio said. "That's what we want everybody to be focused on. That's what we want the Russians to be focused on."
Trump's renewed criticism of Zelenskyy
The denial comes amid a fresh war of words between Trump and Zelenskyy. On Sunday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to claim he was making "great progress" in peace talks, but accused the Ukrainian leader of not wanting to end the war. "Zelenskyy doesn't care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him... he doesn't want to end this war and probably never did," Trump wrote.
He also criticised Ukraine's targeting of Russian oil refineries, saying such strikes were "seriously hurting the world diesel markets, including those in the United States." Zelenskyy, for his part, expressed gratitude that intelligence sharing had resumed, noting that only the US possesses the satellite and signal intelligence needed to warn of Russian ballistic missile launches. "We didn't get it during ballistic attacks during three days," he told NBC.
Starlink disruptions and European alternatives
The dispute over intelligence is not the only point of friction. Kyiv has also reported restrictions on the Starlink satellite service operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, which the Ukrainian military relies on for battlefield communications. Zelenskyy suggested the slowdown was a deliberate message from Washington, a claim that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent dismissed as "reckless." Musk, who has been critical of Zelenskyy, said any disruptions would be the responsibility of the US government.
These tensions have accelerated Ukraine's efforts to reduce its dependence on American technology. In an exclusive interview with Euronews, Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of Zelenskyy's office, said Kyiv has already begun substantive discussions with European partners about developing a European air defence system and alternatives to Starlink. "We are, of course, relying on the unique capabilities provided by the United States," Zhovkva said, "but Ukraine has already begun substantive discussions with European countries about a European air defence system."
The push for European alternatives comes as the EU grapples with its own defence and budget challenges. Recent EU summit talks ended in deadlock over funding, leaving a gap in support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen's agenda in the European Parliament includes proposals to cap the bloc's budget and cut aid to Ukraine, which could reshape the EU's approach.
Despite the friction, Ukraine and the EU are also moving forward on institutional ties. A joint task force has been launched to accelerate Kyiv's accession reforms, and there are signs of a thaw in relations with Hungary, as Magyar and Zelenskyy met to mend ties.
For now, the immediate question remains whether the US will maintain its support. Rubio's categorical denial suggests Washington wants to project stability, but Zelenskyy's public account and the reported Starlink issues point to a more fragile reality. As Ukraine looks to Europe for alternatives, the continent faces mounting pressure to turn its rhetoric into concrete capabilities.
