SAMARKAND, KYIV — US Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied on Monday that there had been any suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine and called on President Volodymyr Zelensky to "focus" on ending the war with Russia.

 

"What he should be focused on and what we want to be focused on is bringing an end to this war," Rubio said while on a trip to Uzbekistan for talks with Central Asian leaders.

 

"There has been no pause," Rubio told reporters in Uzbekistan when asked about Ukraine's claims.

 

Ukraine did not receive an early warning from allies about incoming Russian ballistic strikes that targeted energy facilities in the Kyiv region, Zelensky said on Monday.

 

Russia launched 16 ballistic missiles at the Kyiv region and over 200 drones across the war-torn country, Zelensky said. AFP reporters heard air alerts and explosions ringing out in the capital.

 

"Another Russian ballistic missile attack came in several waves overnight, and once again, there was no early warning from our partners," Zelensky said on social media.

 

Last week Kyiv said there had been no warning from the United States of similar strikes, leaving virtually no time for residents to take shelter.

 

Trump, who says he has made a deal with Russia to secure fuel exports in exchange for the easing of sanctions, has made renewed attacks on Zelensky in recent days over the war.

 

The US leader wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday that he was making "great progress" in negotiating peace between Russia and Ukraine, but claimed: "Zelenskyy doesn't care, and frankly, with all of the money that Europe is famously giving him... he doesn't want to end this war, and probably never did."

 

But Zelensky in a post on Monday hit back at the claims, saying that "Ukraine never wanted this war, and we have welcomed literally EVERY attempt by our partners to bring this war to a dignified end".

 

"Russia's response, time and again, has been ballistic missiles, 'shaheds', and killings," Zelensky said.

 

"When deliveries of missiles for Ukraine's air defense are blocked while Russia is granted relief or delays in sanctions, this is, unfortunately, a denial of reality on the part of our partners," he added.