Ukrainian President Cites 30-Day Wait for US Missile Signatures
Zelensky states that Defense Secretary Hegseth has not yet approved Patriot and NASAMS interceptor orders as Russian airstrikes intensify.
By Mei Wojcik ·
Ukraine has waited nearly a month for the United States to authorize the delivery of critical air defense missiles, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Monday.
The delay coincides with increased Russian strikes on Ukrainian energy grids and civilian infrastructure. Zelensky posted on X that his administration is currently awaiting signature from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on orders for Patriot and NASAMS systems. He noted that he has instructed his team to raise the issue with American counterparts again. This follows previous calls by the Ukrainian leader to accelerate deliveries under the PURL program, which facilitates missile purchases by NATO allies. The urgency is driven by the approaching winter season and the current pace of attacks.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the issue last week. He acknowledged that a specific batch of interceptors might not have arrived on schedule. Rubio stated that the timing of the delay was not driven by political motives. This clarification came as broader tensions between Kyiv and Washington have grown. President Donald Trump recently announced a diesel agreement with Russia. He also criticized Zelensky for what he described as Ukraine's reluctance to halt strikes on Russian refineries.
Operational friction has emerged in other areas of the security partnership. Ukraine reported recent gaps in US intelligence sharing regarding Russian missile trajectories. The country also cited issues with Starlink's military version, known as Starshield. The service has been throttled for several days, which disrupted air defense operations. Reuters reported that the order to limit bandwidth originated from the White House. Elon Musk and US officials have publicly stated that decisions on these limitations can only be made by the other party, creating a circular attribution of responsibility.
The next steps involve diplomatic follow-up from the Ukrainian team to the American side. The specific timeline for Hegseth's signature has not been announced. The PURL program continues to process orders from NATO members. Russia continues to target energy infrastructure as part of its ongoing campaign. The status of the diesel deal and refinery strikes remains a point of discussion between the two leaders.
Source: The Jerusalem Post
