Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre shake hands after signing documents as they meet in the government's representative building in Oslo, Norway, April 13, 2026. CORNELIUS POPPE / AFP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday, April 14, 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 defenses," 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.
