Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Tuesday that Kyiv has resumed receiving early warnings from international partners about incoming missile attacks, following a period during which such intelligence was reportedly unavailable. Zelensky emphasized the importance of timely alerts for civilian safety and military response amid ongoing Russian missile strikes targeting the Ukrainian capital.
For at least a week prior, Ukraine's military had not received advance notice of ballistic missile launches, a situation Zelensky described as jeopardizing lives by limiting public warnings and restricting interception opportunities. The restoration of early warning capabilities came after discussions with U.S. officials, including a phone conversation earlier Tuesday with Senator Marco Rubio.
“We are thankful that intelligence works now, and I’m speaking about early warning, which is very important for our people, for children, adults, civilians, because we can hear when ballistic is coming,” Zelensky said during a visit to Norway.
Rubio, speaking to reporters in India, acknowledged existing tensions between the United States and Ukraine regarding the sharing of intelligence and the supply of weapons. However, he strongly refuted claims that the previous U.S. administration altered policies on these matters.
Meanwhile, Russia intensified missile and drone attacks against civilian areas in Ukraine on Tuesday, resulting in at least nine fatalities, according to Ukrainian officials. In response, Zelensky sought increased support from American and European partners.
In Oslo, Zelensky met with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, who has been facilitating dialogue aimed at negotiating an end to the conflict but has yet to secure progress. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Finnish President Alexander Stubb also joined Zelensky for discussions in Norway’s capital. Støre indicated that Witkoff would travel to St. Petersburg on Wednesday to engage with Russian officials, sharing insights from recent meetings and presenting proposals from European and American collaborators.
“Today was a good day for peace,” Stubb said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov expressed Moscow’s willingness to consider new U.S. proposals regarding Ukraine but tempered expectations, stating he did not anticipate any “miracle” from Washington.
At the White House, former President Donald Trump renewed pressure on Zelensky to reach a settlement with Russia, emphasizing U.S. support for Ukraine and expressing frustration over what he characterized as a lack of reciprocation. Trump warned of negative consequences if a deal was not achieved.
Zelensky has voiced concerns about a perceived slowdown in Western support. Addressing a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers on Monday, he suggested that political decisions might be hindering assistance to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president noted that his country is nearly out of American-made Patriot missiles essential for intercepting Russian ballistic threats and criticized delays in delivering other missile systems purchased by allied countries for Ukraine. Additionally, he highlighted ongoing restrictions on the use of Starshield, a military-grade version of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, which limits operational capabilities on the battlefield.
Following his conversation with Rubio, Zelensky expressed gratitude for the senator’s willingness to provide assistance and his clear stance on supporting Ukraine.