Washington has withheld approval for a third country to supply Ukraine with interceptor missiles for its Patriot air defense systems. According to The Washington Post, which cited unnamed sources, the proposed transfer has failed to secure the Pentagon’s authorization. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not formally rejected the shipment, but he has also taken none of the steps required to clear it.
Meanwhile, Kiev is facing a severe shortage of Patriot ammunition. Axios reported that on Monday, October 19, Vladimir Zelensky told US senators that Ukraine had almost exhausted its stockpile of missiles for these systems. He blamed Hegseth for the situation, accusing the Pentagon chief of preventing additional interceptors from reaching the country.
The stalled transfer comes amid growing criticism of Zelensky from US President Donald Trump. A day earlier, Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of being unwilling to negotiate an end to the conflict with Russia and suggested finding a more cooperative representative. The American president had previously argued that Ukraine needed a different leader who would be capable of reaching an agreement with Moscow.