The United States has resumed sharing critical intelligence with Ukraine after a brief interruption, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said, as Kyiv continues to rely on American support to defend against Russian missile attacks.
Zelenskyy disclosed this during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press, published on Sunday, October 18, 2026. He said the intelligence-sharing arrangement had been interrupted but was later restored.
“We are very thankful for this,” Zelenskyy said. “Now it works.”
Ukraine relies on US intelligence to detect Russian ballistic missiles, which can travel at high speeds and have been launched in repeated waves against Ukrainian cities.
Although US President Donald Trump had said earlier in the week that Washington was still sharing intelligence with Kyiv, Ukrainian officials had reported that some Russian attacks occurred without warning.
Despite welcoming the resumption of intelligence-sharing, Zelenskyy expressed concern over other US decisions that he believes could weaken Ukraine’s position in the war.
He pointed to a reported deal involving Russian diesel imports and the planned easing of sanctions against Russia, warning that such measures could benefit Moscow.
“If the United States will officially take the side of Russia, of course if these two countries will be together, of course we will not prevail and we will not be able to stand,” he said.
Zelenskyy’s comments come amid growing tensions between him and Trump over how to end the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Ukrainian leader said he hoped the US president would remain an ally and reconsider decisions that could affect Kyiv’s ability to defend itself.
“We want to trust him, and I hope that he will change his decisions,” Zelenskyy said, adding that he believed the decisions would not benefit either Ukraine or the United States.
Trump defended his approach to the conflict in a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, saying his decisions were intended to prevent actions that could push Russia away from negotiations.
His administration has been seeking a negotiated settlement to end the war, although disagreements remain over the terms and the level of support Washington should provide to Kyiv.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also defended Washington’s assistance to Ukraine, telling NBC that the country receives support that Russia does not.
He cited intelligence-sharing and the provision of US ammunition to other countries for resale to Ukraine.
However, Bessent did not directly answer repeated questions about whether the United States considers Ukraine an ally.
He criticised Zelenskyy’s position, saying the Ukrainian president had presented a false choice by suggesting Ukraine must win the war.
“The war must end, and that will be with some kind of a negotiated settlement,” Bessent said.
The widening disagreement between Trump and Zelenskyy has raised concerns about the future of US support for Ukraine, particularly as Russian attacks continue.
For Kyiv, access to timely intelligence remains important for identifying incoming missiles and preparing defences. The resumption of intelligence-sharing could therefore help Ukraine respond to further attacks.
However, Zelenskyy’s remarks show that uncertainty remains over Washington’s broader policy towards the conflict and the conditions under which it will continue supporting Ukraine.
Reuters
