Zelensky says US peace talks are focused on Iran, slowing Ukraine arms supply as war efforts face delays and pressure grows
BERLIN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday told a German broadcaster that US peace negotiators “have no time for Ukraine” because of the war in Iran, and bemoaned disruptions of deliveries of US arms.
Zelensky told public broadcaster ZDF that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have helped broker talks with Moscow on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine, were “constantly in talks with Iran” at the moment.
Describing the pair as “pragmatic”, Zelensky said they were trying to “get more attention from Putin in order to end the war”.
But “if the United States does not put pressure on Putin (…) and only engages in a gentle dialogue with the Russians, then they will no longer be afraid”, he said.
US-led talks to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have stalled since the Iran war erupted in late March, and Russian and Ukrainian negotiators have not met since February in Geneva.
Zelensky said that the issue of deliveries of US arms to Ukraine has become “a big problem”.
“If the war goes on, there will be less arms for Ukraine. It’s critical, especially in materials for air defences,” he said.
Zelensky later told a press conference during a visit to Norway that this was especially a problem for PAC-3 interceptor missiles, as well as the PAC-2 missile.
He said these were primarily bought through the PURL programme, which was launched last year and allows Ukraine to receive US equipment financed by European countries.
“At the very beginning of… (the) war in the Middle East we understood that we can have challenges,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky said deliveries came “slowly”, noting it was a “very difficult position for us.”
Zelensky made the comment alongside Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, with the two leaders announcing they had signed “a joint declaration on enhanced defence and security cooperation.”
The Norwegian government said in a statement the countries wished to “facilitate closer cooperation between the Norwegian and Ukrainian defence industries” and that “Ukrainian drones will now be manufactured in Norway.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Zelensky led a government delegation to Berlin, where they met Chancellor Friedrich Merz and key ministers to discuss Ukraine’s war against Russia, now in its fifth year.
The two countries also announced a strategic partnership centred on defence.
