Pentagon Holds Patriot and NASAMS Orders for 30 Days

Ukraine has waited approximately 30 days for the United States to approve a shipment of Patriot and NASAMS interceptors, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky. The delay leaves the country without additional air defense capabilities at a time when Russian forces have increased attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure.

Zelensky announced the delay on X on Monday, naming Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as the official responsible for the sign-off. He stated that he ordered his team to press the American side for an immediate resolution.

The interceptors are being procured under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, a program that allows the US to supply weapons to Ukraine from its own stockpiles while NATO allies replenish them. Zelensky has repeatedly urged Washington to accelerate these deliveries before winter weather complicates logistics and maintenance.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the supply chain issue last week. He confirmed that a batch of interceptors had not yet arrived but clarified that the hold-up was not driven by political motivations.

The approval gap has compounded friction between the two governments. These tensions followed President Donald Trump's announcement of a diesel deal with Russia and his public criticism of Zelensky for failing to halt Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries.

Ukraine has also faced operational setbacks in recent weeks. The military reported temporary gaps in US intelligence sharing regarding incoming Russian missile strikes. Additionally, Starlink's military satellite service, Starshield, was throttled for several days. Reuters reported that the order to limit bandwidth originated within the White House. Both SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US officials have publicly disputed who held the final authority on these restrictions.