The US has delayed approval for the transfer of Patriot air-defence interceptor missiles needed by Ukraine to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks, The Washington Post reported on Monday, citing US and other officials familiar with the matter.
According to the report, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not formally rejected the proposed transfers but has yet to complete the required steps to authorise them. The delay comes amid renewed tensions between President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a broader deterioration in relations between Washington and Kiev.
At least some of the transfers of Patriot interceptor missiles are from countries friendly to Ukraine that require Hegseth to approve the handoff, the report said, citing a US official and three additional people familiar with the situation.
A Ukrainian official told The Washington Post the previous week that Ukraine had only “a couple” of Patriot interceptor missiles remaining in its stockpile, underscoring concerns about the availability of ammunition for the country's air-defence systems.
The report noted that Hegseth has continued to approve some US assistance to Ukraine, indicating that the delayed missile transfers do not necessarily represent a complete halt to American support.
The reported delay comes as relations between Trump and Zelenskyy have again come under strain with Trump repeatedly criticising the Ukrainian president in recent days.
