Ukraine cites 30-day wait for Hegseth missile approval

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Monday that the United States has not yet approved the release of critical air defense missiles. He said Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to sign off on supplies for Patriot and NASAMS systems.

Zelensky posted on X/Twitter that he instructed his team to raise the issue with American officials again. He noted that Russia is increasing attacks on energy infrastructure and civilian targets as winter approaches.

The US supplies these interceptors to Ukraine through a program called PURL, which allows NATO allies to purchase weapons for Kyiv. Zelensky has repeatedly asked Washington to accelerate deliveries. Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that a batch of interceptors had not arrived. He stated the delay was not for political reasons.

The missile wait adds to friction between the two nations. President Donald Trump recently announced a diesel deal with Russia. He also criticized Zelensky for Ukraine's refusal to stop attacking Russian refineries.

Ukraine reported gaps in US intelligence sharing regarding Russian missile attacks in recent weeks. The country also said military Starlink services were throttled for days, disrupting air defense operations. Reuters reported that the order to limit Starshield access came from the White House. Elon Musk and US officials have publicly blamed each other for the decision.

Zelensky said the delay leaves Ukraine vulnerable during a period of heightened Russian aggression. He emphasized the need for immediate action to secure the remaining interceptor stockpiles.