Zelensky reports nearly one month wait for US approval of Patriot missiles

Ukraine has waited nearly a month for the United States to authorize a critical shipment of air defense missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. He made the announcement on Monday as Russian forces increased attacks on energy grids and civilian infrastructure.

Zelensky posted on X/Twitter that he has been waiting for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS systems. The Ukrainian leader stated he instructed his team to raise the issue with the American side again to expedite the process.

The delay affects interceptors purchased by NATO allies under the Presidential Urgent Requisition for Lend-Lease, or PURL, program. Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington to speed up deliveries before winter sets in, arguing that Ukraine requires these assets to protect its population from ongoing bombardment.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged last week that a batch of interceptors may not have been delivered. He stated the delay was not for political reasons, attempting to clarify the administrative status of the pending authorization.

The stalled deliveries have added strain to relations between Kyiv and Washington. Tensions rose after President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticized Zelensky for Ukraine’s refusal to stop striking Russian refineries. These diplomatic frictions coincide with operational hurdles faced by the Ukrainian military.

In recent weeks, Ukraine reported gaps in US intelligence sharing regarding incoming Russian missile attacks. The country also said its military version of Starlink, known as Starshield, was throttled for several days, disrupting air defense operations. Reuters reported that the order to limit Starshield access came from inside the White House. Elon Musk and US officials have publicly disputed who made that decision, with each side claiming the other was responsible.