The Donald Trump administration has not approved the transfer of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine from countries that have already acquired the American-made weapons, The Washington Post reported. This comes as tensions between the POTUS and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy deepen. The delay comes as Kyiv faces intensified Russian missile and drone attacks and warns that its stockpile of interceptors is running dangerously low.
The development adds to a growing rift between Washington and Kyiv, with Trump repeatedly criticising Zelenskyy, easing pressure on Moscow and questioning Ukraine's leadership. The strain has also extended to military communications and intelligence support, raising concerns that the shifting US approach could weaken Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia.
According to The Washington Post, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has neither formally rejected the proposed missile transfers nor completed the necessary steps to approve them. The report, citing a US official and three people familiar with the diplomatic exchanges, said Hegseth had continued to authorise some other forms of US assistance to Ukraine.
Ukraine running low on Patriot interceptors
The United States retains control over the transfer of its weapons to third countries under agreements requiring Washington's approval before they can be passed on to another recipient. This means countries seeking to send their Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine need clearance from the US administration.
A Ukrainian official told The Washington Post last week that only a couple of interceptor missiles remained in the country's stockpile. Zelenskyy also told lawmakers during a briefing on Monday that Ukraine had "almost no Patriot interceptors left from the United States" and alleged that the Pentagon was delaying missiles that Kyiv's partners had already paid for.
The shortage comes as Russia continues to target Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine had again received no advance warning from partners, including the US, about the latest Russian attacks. He said six people were killed, including a mother and her child, who was just over a year old.
Washington has maintained that it has not stopped providing intelligence to Kyiv. However, separate concerns have emerged over restrictions on Starshield, SpaceX's military-grade satellite communications system, which Ukraine relies on for battlefield communications and drone operations.
Moscow welcomes rift but remains cautious
The growing confrontation has been welcomed by Russian officials, although Moscow remains wary of Trump's unpredictable approach, Reuters reported. The news agency said Kremlin hardliners had seized on the public dispute, but there was little consensus that the tensions had yet translated into a decisive strategic advantage for Russia.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Zelenskyy in recent days and said it was time for Ukraine to get a new president. Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev mocked the Ukrainian leader on Telegram, while Kremlin economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev argued that Zelenskyy's criticism of Trump would have significant consequences.
The tensions have coincided with Trump's decision to ease certain restrictions affecting Russian fuel supplies and refrain from imposing additional sanctions on buyers of Russian oil. However, some Russian commentators have questioned whether these moves would deliver substantial benefits to Moscow, with one pro-Kremlin lawmaker suggesting that Trump's decisions were driven largely by domestic political considerations ahead of the US congressional midterm elections.