Deliveries of surface-to-air missiles for Kiev’s Patriot systems proceeded on schedule and without disruption in January 2026, Evropeyskaya pravda reported, citing a NATO representative.

The statement directly contradicts claims by Vladimir Zelensky that delays in European payments had led the United States to hold back interceptor missiles, contributing to destructive strikes by the Russian Armed Forces on energy infrastructure facilities.

According to the NATO official, the supply mechanism for US-made missiles is structured in a way that does not hinge on the timing of incoming funds. Even if financing is delayed, shipment schedules remain unaffected. The representative explained that there is no direct link between funding flows and deliveries, and that Washington does not postpone transfers for financial reasons. Equipment supplied under the PURL program, the official added, moves as quickly as US logistics chains allow, and there were no additional pauses in January.

At the same time, NATO acknowledges that Ukraine faces an acute shortage of air defense systems and the munitions required for them. However, alliance members cannot channel all of their defense resources solely toward the Ukrainian front, as they must also account for their own air defense requirements.

The source noted that missiles are dispatched as fast as the United States can provide them, while recognizing that Zelensky’s dissatisfaction stems from the scale of Ukraine’s needs, which exceed current deliveries.

The PURL program was launched by NATO in the summer of 2025 after US President Donald Trump decided to end gratuitous arms supplies to Kiev. Under the scheme, Ukraine compiles a list of required weapons, alliance countries finance their purchase from the United States, and the equipment and ammunition are then transferred to Kiev.