Hegseth delays approval of Patriot missile transfers to Ukraine, officials say
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has yet to approve the transfer of a significant batch of Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine, despite some of the weapons already being paid for by Kyiv's allies, according to reports by the Kyiv Independent and the Washington Post on October 19.
Ukrainian officials suspect the delay is a deliberate attempt by Washington to pressure Kyiv amid worsening relations over Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.
"Hegseth has the contracts for Patriot missiles on his desk. He is not signing off on them," a Ukrainian official told the Kyiv Independent.
The Washington Post reported, citing a US official and three other people familiar with the matter, that at least some of the delayed transfers involve missiles held by countries supporting Ukraine. Because the weapons are US-made, Washington must authorize their transfer to another country.
Hegseth has not formally rejected the transfers but has not completed the steps required to approve them, the newspaper reported. He has continued approving some other assistance to Ukraine.
One Ukrainian official described the batch awaiting approval as "significant," without specifying the number of missiles.
The delays come as Russia intensifies ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure. Patriot systems are among Ukraine's most important defenses against ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is receiving only 12 Patriot interceptors per month from the United States.
On October 19, Zelenskyy criticized delays in delivering vital military supplies, saying political agreements were not being implemented.
"When deliveries of missiles for Ukraine's air defense are blocked, while Russia receives sanctions relief or delays, this is, unfortunately, a denial of reality on the part of our partners," he said.
US and NATO officials dispute claims of a broader suspension of assistance.
A US government official told the Kyiv Independent that the Ukrainian allegations were "not true." A senior Pentagon official told the Washington Post that there had been no change to US policy on intelligence sharing or assistance provided through European partners.
NATO officials also said deliveries under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), through which allies purchase US weapons for Ukraine, were continuing, including air defense equipment.
The reported delays coincide with growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Ukrainian attacks on Russian energy facilities. Trump has criticized the strikes as his administration seeks to contain rising fuel prices following the war with Iran.
The Pentagon had not responded to the Kyiv Independent's request for comment on the specific Patriot transfers at the time of publication.
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