Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says if Trump “cannot rein Putin in,” at least clear interceptor missile shipment

October 20, 2026 / 9:26 AM EDT / CBS News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview published Tuesday that if President Trump "cannot rein Putin in," he should provide long-requested interceptor missiles so Ukraine can defend itself, as the war of words between the two leaders continues to escalate.

"If you cannot rein Putin in, then give us interceptor missiles so I can protect our energy infrastructure," Zelenskyy told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, referring to Russia's autocratic President Vladimir Putin.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said later Tuesday that Mr. Trump has been "frustrated" by what he described as false accusations that "he is doing things to deliberately harm Ukraine." He insisted that nothing had been "deliberately denied to Ukraine," but added: "It's simply, it's a balance between our obligations to other partners and frankly our own … requirements for our own facilities as well."

The exchange came as Zelenskyy prepared to meet U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff in Norway on Tuesday, with his fellow envoy, Mr. Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, expected to join remotely.

Zelenskyy has accused the Trump administration this week of delaying shipments of interceptor missiles to Ukraine, as well as constraining Starlink satellite…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/