Zelensky scolds U.S. envoys
- President Zelensky criticised U.S. envoys for visiting Moscow instead of Kyiv, calling the trip 'disrespectful'. - He said Ukraine will strengthen air defences and warned Patriot missile shortages are worse than ever. - Meanwhile a fragile Iran truce opened space for talks with the U.S., though continuation and dates remain uncertain. ( )
Volodymyr Zelensky said Donald Trump’s envoys were “disrespectful” for flying repeatedly to Moscow without making a visit to Kyiv. (independent.co.uk) Zelensky was referring to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, whom he said had spent too much time with Vladimir Putin and Kremlin officials while peace contacts with Ukraine stalled. Reuters reported on April 4 that Kyiv had expected Witkoff and Kushner to lead a U.S. delegation to Ukraine later in April. (independent.co.uk) (usnews.com) He also said Ukraine’s shortage of Patriot interceptor missiles “cannot get worse,” tying the problem to a wider squeeze on U.S. attention and weapons supply as Washington manages the Iran war. On April 16, Zelensky ordered Ukraine’s air force commander to chase up partner countries that had pledged Patriot missiles and other air-defense ammunition. (kyivpost.com) (kyivindependent.com) Patriot is the U.S.-made air-defense system Ukraine uses against ballistic missiles and other high-end aerial threats. Ukraine has relied on it to shield cities and energy sites during repeated Russian strike campaigns since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. (euronews.com) (kyivindependent.com) Zelensky’s complaint landed as the Middle East crisis briefly opened diplomatic space elsewhere. Reuters, Al Jazeera and other outlets reported that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire was due to expire on April 21, creating a narrow window for another round of talks in Pakistan. (asiaplus.news) (aljazeera.com) But the talks were still unsettled on Tuesday, April 21. The Associated Press reported that Pakistan was preparing for meetings even as Iranian participation remained unclear, and Reuters said U.S. officials were optimistic while Tehran was still weighing whether to attend. (apnews.com) (msn.com) Kyiv has argued for months that Russia’s ties with Iran should shape how Washington handles both wars. Zelensky said last week that the United States was overlooking Russia-Iran cooperation and “trusts Putin,” even as Moscow tried to pull U.S. diplomacy back toward its own preferred format. (kyivindependent.com) (usnews.com) For now, Zelensky is pressing two points at once: send more air-defense missiles and stop treating Moscow as the only capital worth visiting. His message on April 21 was that diplomacy without Kyiv is not diplomacy Ukraine will respect. (independent.co.uk)
