Ukraine Waits 30 Days For Missile Signoff
Zelensky says Pentagon approval for Patriot and NASAMS interceptors has been pending nearly a month while Russian strikes on energy sites continue.
By Jonathan Reed ·
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday his country has waited nearly 30 days for US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to authorize missile supplies for Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems. He said on X/Twitter that he instructed Ukrainian officials to raise the matter with Washington again.
The request sits inside the PURL program, under which the United States sells missiles purchased by NATO allies. Zelensky has repeatedly asked the US to accelerate deliveries before winter arrives. Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a batch of interceptors might not have reached Ukraine, and said the delay was not tied to politics.
The delivery question arrives amid other frictions. President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticized Zelensky over Ukraine's refusal to halt strikes on Russian refineries. Ukraine also reported gaps in US intelligence about incoming Russian missile attacks in recent weeks, plus several days of throttling on the military version of Starlink, which disrupted operations and air defenses.
Reuters reported that the order to throttle Starshield originated inside the White House. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US officials have each said publicly that limits on Starlink and Starshield could only have been decided by the other side. Meanwhile, Russian attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure have intensified.
Zelensky's remarks came as Russian forces increased pressure on Ukrainian energy facilities and civilian sites. He did not give a date for a decision from Hegseth on the Patriot and NASAMS interceptors.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
