Zelensky presses Washington over month-long Patriot missile delay

President Volodymyr Zelensky called on Washington on Tuesday to approve Patriot and NASAMS interceptor deliveries that have been stalled for nearly a month, warning that the shortage is leaving Ukrainian cities exposed to Russian ballistic missile attacks.

"It's important that the world sees this, that our partners see it in the US, on which almost everything concerning Patriots depends," Zelensky said in his evening address, calling for the necessary Pentagon authorisations to deliver the interceptors. He added: "Everyone hears and sees that it is now difficult for us to defend against Russian ballistic missiles. Above all, we lack missiles for Patriots."

Zelensky said Ukraine had been waiting almost a month for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to authorise the missile transfers. "In particular, we have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr. Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS," he said, adding that he had instructed Ukrainian officials to raise the matter with Washington again. The delay affects interceptors already paid for by Ukraine's allies, some of them purchased through NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, under which European partners finance American-made weapons for Kyiv. Because the missiles are manufactured in the United States, transfers from partner countries require US authorisation.

Russian strikes on Kyiv on Monday evening and overnight killed a 46-year-old woman and injured 15 others. Five of those injured were students and staff at the State University of Trade and Economics, whose dormitories and academic buildings were damaged. Nearby residential buildings, Kyoto Park and transport infrastructure were also hit.

Zelensky said Russia had launched more than 100 ballistic missiles against Kyiv and the surrounding region in the two weeks since 14 October. He urged partners to act, saying that interceptor shortages were making it increasingly difficult to defend Ukrainian cities.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously acknowledged that a batch of interceptors may not have arrived but said the delay was not politically motivated. The Pentagon has maintained that US policy on military assistance to Ukraine has not changed, while citing the need to preserve sufficient American interceptor stocks.