Zelensky says US delay of arms shipments and intelligence limits are hard to explain
In short
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the evening of 19 October that US decisions on the war, including delaying weapons shipments and limiting intelligence sharing, are "difficult to explain". He said this in a meeting with a US congressional delegation. He also said he hopes a Ukrainian delegation can meet US envoys Witkoff and Kushner in Norway in the coming days.
Read the full story 1 min read
CLS and Jiemian reported that Zelensky, meeting a US congressional delegation on the evening of 19 October local time, called US decisions on the Russia-Ukraine war "difficult to explain". He named postponing weapons shipments and restricting intelligence sharing among them. Yicai ran an item with the same headline. Jiemian's text credits CCTV News (央视新闻). [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]
Zelensky also said he hopes a Ukrainian delegation can meet US presidential envoys Witkoff and Kushner in Norway in the coming days. Several people with knowledge of the matter said the two envoys plan to travel to Norway this week for talks on Ukraine. CLS and Jiemian added that there are reports Zelensky himself will also take part. [ 2 , 3 ]
In a separate brief dated 19 October, CLS reported Zelensky as saying that US deliveries of some key supplies to Ukraine had been delayed. None of the documents gives a US response or says which supplies were affected. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The remarks show Ukraine's president publicly questioning US decisions on arms deliveries and intelligence sharing ahead of possible talks in Norway. The documents are short reports and give no US response or detail on what was delayed.
Key facts
- CLS reported in a 19 October brief that Zelensky said US deliveries of some key supplies to Ukraine had been delayed. [ 1 ]
- Meeting a US congressional delegation on the evening of 19 October local time, Zelensky said US decisions on the Russia-Ukraine war, including postponing weapons shipments and restricting intelligence sharing, were "difficult to explain". [ 2 , 3 ]
- Zelensky said he hopes a Ukrainian delegation can meet US presidential envoys Witkoff and Kushner in Norway in the coming days. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Several people with knowledge of the matter said Witkoff and Kushner plan to travel to Norway this week for talks on Ukraine. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Reports say Zelensky himself will also take part in the talks. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- Whether Zelensky will take part in the Norway talks himself. CLS and Jiemian only say there are reports that he will; no source is named.
- Which supplies were delayed and for what reason. One CLS item says only that some key supplies were delayed; the other reports give no detail on the delays or the intelligence limits.
- The US position on the delays and intelligence limits. None of the documents carries a US response.
- Zelensky hopes a Ukrainian delegation will meet Witkoff and Kushner in Norway in the coming days. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- CLS reports Zelensky saying US deliveries of some key supplies to Ukraine have been delayed (19 October). [ 1 ]
- CLS reports Zelensky's remarks to the US congressional delegation and the planned Norway talks (20 October). [ 2 ]
- Jiemian publishes the same report, crediting CCTV News. [ 3 ]
- Yicai publishes an item with the same headline. [ 4 ]