OMM Newsroom
Ukraine has been waiting nearly a month for US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve the transfer of Patriot and NASAMS missiles, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday, according to Anadolu Agency.
In a post on the US social media platform “X”, Zelenskyy said he had instructed his team to raise the issue with Washington “once again”.
He said he had held a coordination call on weapons supplies from partners and efforts to restore energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.
“We are working on several tracks — with the United States, Europe, and other partners that have stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles,” Zelenskyy said. “In particular, we have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr. Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS.”
Zelenskyy added that officials had also discussed preparations for next month’s Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine’s allies. He stressed the need to speed up decisions that had been pending for some time.
“Every support package is an opportunity to protect people's lives,” he said, thanking Ukraine’s partners for helping expedite critical deliveries.
Report says Patriot missile transfers await approval
Last week, “The Washington Post” reported that the Trump administration had delayed approval for the transfer of Patriot air defence interceptor missiles that Ukraine needs to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks.
According to the report, Hegseth had not formally rejected the proposed transfers but had yet to complete the required steps to authorise them. The delay comes amid renewed tensions between Trump and Zelenskyy and deteriorating relations between Washington and Kyiv.
Some missiles are being transferred by countries friendly to Ukraine, which require Hegseth’s approval for the handover, the report said, citing a US official and three other people familiar with the matter.
The report noted that Hegseth had continued to approve some US assistance to Ukraine, suggesting the delayed transfers do not necessarily signal a complete halt to American support.
The news follows a recent dispute over Ukraine receiving sub-par speeds from Elon Musk’s US-based satellite service. Zelenskyy said the downgrade had cost Ukrainian lives.
