Zelensky speaks to Witkoff, Kushner amid U.S.-Ukraine crisis

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky engaged in a conversation with President Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on Sunday, addressing the recent crisis between the nations and the U.S.'s attempts to restart peace talks with Russia. This call marked the first interaction between Zelensky and senior U.S. officials since tensions escalated following the U.S.'s termination of a diesel deal with Russia just a week prior.

The purpose of this call was to discuss the restrictions imposed on Ukrainian military satellite systems, specifically the Starlink and Starshield networks. Zelensky asserted that the Trump administration was responsible for these restrictions, stating, "If President Trump will decide tomorrow, or better today, if he will personally decide to lift this decision, it will immediately work as it was before." However, he also acknowledged that the decision might have been made by the White House and SpaceX.

Zelensky further claimed that the message behind the restrictions came directly from the U.S. government, citing the opinions of Ukrainian generals, government officials, and himself. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, on the other hand, denied any involvement of the U.S. government in the Starlink restrictions, later claiming that the restrictions had been lifted. Ukrainian officials, though, continue to dispute this claim.