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By Brendan Cole
Senior Reporter
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s view that Washington had paused and then resumed intelligence sharing with Kyiv in the latest disagreement between both sides.
Rubio responded on Monday to Zelensky's comments that intelligence sharing between the U.S. and Ukraine had been interrupted, but later "de-blocked."
But on Monday, Rubio said, "there's been no pause" and criticized Zelensky for his comments.
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Rubio's remarks highlight the increasingly tense relationship between Washington and Kyiv, in which Zelensky has taken aim at Trump for easing sanctions on Russian diesel exports and restricting speeds on the Starlink satellite network Kyiv needs for air defense.
"It remains unclear if this rupture is permanent, but Trump's public placing of blame on Kyiv for prolonging the war, may suggest a more serious problem," Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum, at the Chatham House think tank, told Newsweek on Monday.
Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian president's office for comment.
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How Have US-Ukraine Ties Deteriorated?
Speaking during NBC's Meet the Press, Zelensky said on Sunday that critical U.S. intelligence needed to inform Kyiv about incoming Russian missile attacks had been paused for three days.
"It was blocked for some period of time," Zelensky said. "Then it was deblocked by the American side. We are very thankful for this."
Rubio disputed this on Monday during a visit to Uzbekistan where he is meeting Central Asian officials. He told reporters, "What he (Zelensky) should be focused on and what we want to be focused on is bringing an end to this war."
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had separately warned Zelensky to “be very careful” in saying that U.S. intelligence sharing with Kyiv had been interrupted.
Ukraine uses U.S. intelligence for warnings of incoming Russian missile attacks although European allies can provide some intelligence.
Ukrainian officials said there was no warning from its partners for two waves of missile attacks last week, according to The New York Times.
"Kyiv clearly would like to restore reliable intelligence sharing with the U.S., but some capabilities could now be provided by the Europeans," said Lutsevych.
"Zelensky is right to expose facts of blackmail and pressure on a victim of aggression when all other means of avoiding that are exhausted," she added.
Dispute Over Starlink
The relationship between Trump and Zelensky has ebbed and flowed during the Ukraine war but has gone south in recent days.
Ukraine accused the U.S. of squeezing access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite network, hampering Ukraine's ability to launch drones and defend from Russian attacks.
John Hardie, from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) think tank, told Newsweek this decision was "inexcusable at a time when Russia is relentlessly attacking power plants and other civilian infrastructure throughout Ukraine."
Reuters and other outlets reported that the idea had come from inside the White House but the Trump administration has rejected the accusation it has deliberately caused the slowdown.
Satellite connectivity has been restored, but Ukrainian officials say restrictions affecting use at higher speeds are still in place.
How Has Russian Diesel Affected Ties?
With gas prices a key midterm election issue, Trump announced a unilateral ceasefire on energy strikes which took Moscow and Kyiv by surprise.
Zelensky said he would honor the truce, before resuming strikes last week after it was clear that Russia was ignoring Trump's announcement, with Moscow striking at energy sites in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian president told the FT that any such truce was "done," and Ukraine proceeded to strike at oil facilities which appeared to anger Trump, who labeled the move as a "disgrace" because he was "making the world oil price higher."
Ukraine hit the St Petersburg Oil Terminal and the Ruchyi oil depot on Sunday.
The bombardment also targeted logistics facilities and data centers which have been hard hit this month, disrupting online services.
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This has been condemned by Kyiv and U.S. lawmakers as allowing Moscow to fund its war machine and undermining legislation pushed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham to sanction Russian energy.
“Republicans and Democrats passed this law in Lindsey Graham’s name to squeeze Russia’s war revenues. Trump has now hollowed it out before its main sanctions could bite," Alexander Kirk, sanctions campaigner at Urgewald, an environmental and human rights NGO, told Newsweek.
Urgewald data estimates that the EU paid €7.88 billion ($8.84 billion) for Russian Yamal LNG (liquefied natural gas) this year and that Trump’s waiver gives the ships sustaining this lucrative trade a reprieve from new sanctions.
“The Kremlin and the companies keeping its gas exports moving have every reason to celebrate," Kirk said.
Lutsevych from Chatham House said it was notable that the dispute between Zelensky and Trump comes at a time when Putin has ordered a winter terror campaign of Ukrainian cities and that the costs of civilian lives will mount.
"The costs of civilian lives will mount, as Trump makes it easier for Putin to pursue this strategy. The U.S. weakens support, as Russia double downs on its destruction spree," she said.
"The risk of rupture between Kyiv and Washington existed the day Trump became the president. It was clear he favors relations and deals with Putin, and the war on Ukraine was standing in the way of his strategy."
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and Emma Lee-Sang
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