Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Kiev has been awaiting the approval of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for the transfer of Patriot and NASAMS air defence missiles to Ukraine for nearly a month.
Through a post on the X platform, Zelensky announced that he has asked his team to resume this issue with Washington in an effort to speed up weapons supplies needed to protect the country.
According to the Ukrainian president, the issue was discussed during a co-ordination meeting, where arms supplies from international partners were focused, as well as efforts to restore the functioning of energy infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks.
We are working on several tracks with the United States, Europe and other partners who have PACE-2 missile stocks and PACE-3HINA, Zelensky said, stressing that approval of the Patriot and NASAMS missiles remains pending.
He also indicated that preparations for the upcoming meeting of Ukraine’s allies in the Ramstein format, scheduled for next month, were discussed during the meeting. Zelensky underlined the need to speed up pending decisions, stressing the importance of any aid package to protect the lives of Ukrainian citizens.
Last week, the US newspaper The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump’s administration had delayed approval for the transfer of Patriot interceptive missiles, which Ukraine considers essential to protection from Russian missile attacks and fears.
According to the report, Hegseth had not officially refused the proposed transfers, but had not completed the procedures needed for their authorisation.
The delays come in a period of increased tension between presidents Donald Trump and Volodyyr Zelensky, as well as deteriorating relations between Washington and Kiev.
The Washington Post, quoting an American official and three other people familiar with the case, reported that some of the missiles are expected to be transferred from partner countries in Ukraine, but their surrender requires the approval of the US Secretary of Defence.
Kiev continues to call on allies to speed up supplies with air defence systems and ammunition in terms of continued Russian attacks on the country’s territory and infrastructure.
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Source Layer: Signal
