Zelensky says US doesn’t ‘have time for Ukraine’ due to Iran war, flags arms supply concerns

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday (April 14) said US peace negotiators “have no time for Ukraine” due to the ongoing war in Iran, highlighting a shift in diplomatic focus during an interview with German broadcaster ZDF.

Zelensky said senior US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, who have been involved in talks with Moscow to end Russia’s war on Ukraine, are currently “constantly in talks with Iran”.

The Ukrainian leader was in Germany on Tuesday, where he led a government delegation to Berlin, meeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and senior ministers to discuss the ongoing war with Russia, now in its fifth year. Both countries announced a strategic partnership focused on defence cooperation.

Describing Trump's negotiators as “pragmatic”, Zelensky said the pair were attempting to “get more attention from Putin in order to end the war”.

However, he warned that without sustained pressure from Washington, Russia would not be deterred. “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 aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II have stalled since the Iran war escalated in late March, with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators not meeting since February in Geneva.

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Zelensky also raised concerns over the supply of US arms, calling it “a big problem” as the conflict drags on. “If the war continues, there will be fewer arms for Ukraine. It is critical, especially in materials for air defences,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zelensky travelled to several countries in the Middle East, sharing Ukraine’s battlefield experience in countering Iranian drone and missile threats. During the visit, he signed 10-year defence agreements with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar to deploy Ukrainian electronic warfare systems and low-cost interceptors. The deal positions Kyiv as a “security donor”, exchanging defence expertise for critical oil and diesel supplies.

Despite years of intense fighting, both Kyiv and Moscow agreed to a 32-hour ceasefire over Easter. However, Russia declined to extend the pause, citing concerns that a longer ceasefire would allow Ukrainian forces to regroup, while reiterating its long-standing demands, including a full Ukrainian withdrawal from the Donetsk region