Zelensky reports nearly a month wait for US missile sign-off
The Ukrainian president said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not yet approved Patriot and NASAMS interceptor deliveries.
By Ethan Mitchell ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Monday that his country has waited almost 30 days for the United States to approve critical air defense missile supplies.
Zelensky specifically named Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as the official holding the sign-off for Patriot and NASAMS systems. The Ukrainian leader said he directed his team to raise the issue with American counterparts again.
The delay occurs while Russia intensifies strikes on Ukrainian energy grids and civilian infrastructure. Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington to expedite deliveries under the PURL program, where NATO allies purchase missiles for Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the issue last week. He confirmed that a batch of interceptors may not have arrived yet. Rubio insisted the lag was not driven by political motives.
The stalled deliveries add friction to US-Ukraine relations. These tensions rose after President Donald Trump announced a diesel agreement with Russia and criticized Zelensky for failing to halt attacks on Russian refineries.
Ukrainian officials also reported recent gaps in US intelligence sharing regarding Russian missile attacks. The military version of Starlink, known as Starshield, was throttled for several days, disrupting air defense operations. Reuters reported that the order to limit Starshield originated inside the White House. Elon Musk and US officials have publicly disagreed on who made that specific decision.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
