The Trump administration is reportedly blocking the transfer of American-made Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy calls on Washington to ramp up transfers – potentially in exchange for ending the long-range strike campaign against Russian refineries.
According to a Washington Post report published on Monday, October 19, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has yet to authorize the transfer of missiles from allied countries to Ukraine.
The Romanian Army’s 74th Patriot Regiment conducted the country’s first PATRIOT missile system live-fire exercise at the Capu Midia test firing range in Romania Nov. 14-15, 2023. Romania received the first of seven PATRIOT systems in 2020 through a foreign military sales case executed by the U.S. Army Security Assistance Command. (Courtesy photo)
KOROR, Palau — A Patriot Advanced Capability 2 Interceptor missile is fired from an M903 Patriot Launching Station assigned to Battery D, 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment during the patriot live fire portion of Exercise Tenacious Archer 25 on Aug. 21, 2025. Exercise Tenacious Archer 25 is a training event designed to build interoperability, capacity, and relationships that deter aggression and promote peace through strength. The exercise sharpens the brigade’s ability to operate across multiple domains, reinforcing U.S. Army Pacific’s commitment to regional security and stability.(U.S. Army photo by Capt. Frank Spatt)
The delay comes as President Donald Trump appears to be working to incentivize Russia to wind down the conflict by offering a series of major economic deals, and as the U.S. president pushes President Zelenskyy to stop strikes on diesel refineries.
Ukrainian officials are also accusing the White House of deliberately withholding critical military assistance to force Kyiv to make concessions.
Reuters also reported that Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged on Tuesday, October 20, that some American missile interceptors may not have reached Ukraine.
Still, he denied claims that Washington was intentionally blocking their transfer.
Did the Pentagon Hold Up Patriot Missiles?
The Washington Post cited a U.S. official and three others familiar with the situation who claimed that the administration has failed to authorize the transfer of Patriot interceptors from friendly countries.
The missiles are critical to Ukraine’s air defenses: they work with the battery system provided to them.
They are Ukraine’s primary battle-tested interceptor for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Because the missiles are American-made, foreign governments can transfer them to another country only with Washington’s permission.
The reporting suggests that Hegseth has not rejected the transfers outright, but that they have not yet been authorized.
On October 19, the Kyiv Independent reported that Ukrainian officials and military officers believe the delays are deliberate, with a Ukrainian defense official telling the outlet that the transfer still hadn’t been confirmed as of Monday morning.
Ukraine also depends heavily on European countries purchasing American equipment. NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List initiative, known as PURL, then moves the purchases to Ukraine.
Ukraine Is Short On Missiles
The delays come at the worst possible time for Ukraine, amid an ongoing shortage of missile interceptors and a growing threat from Russia.
An October 15 Washington Post report described how Ukrainian forces had only 10 Patriot interceptors remaining as of October 7 – and those were soon expended while defending against recent Russian attacks.
A Ukrainian official said only a couple of missiles remained, and another source said the stockpile was effectively exhausted.
Patriot systems are one of the few weapons capable of intercepting Russia’s advanced ballistic missiles and high-speed weapons, making the shortages a matter of life or death as Moscow targets Ukraine’s cities and infrastructure.
The U.S. war with Iran is further complicating matters, too, with U.S. forces now having consumed enormous quantities of advanced air defense interceptors in the Middle East, putting additional pressure on global inventories.
And Ukraine isn’t the only one experiencing shortages, with Polish military officials warning earlier this month that deliveries of Patriot interceptors to Poland are going to be delayed because of the war with Iran.
Trump and Zelenskyy
The relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is deteriorating, too, with the U.S. president publicly turning against Zelenskyy and calling for elections in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, October 10, President Trump repeated an old suggestion that Ukraine should hold new elections – this time, explicitly stating that Ukraine needs a new leader to end the war.
The president said that there should be a presidential election, that Zelenskyy is not prepared to make the deal that’s necessary to end the war, and that the war could have been settled several times over by now.
The comments came a day after President Trump announced a controversial deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow more than 300,000 metric tons of Russian diesel onto global markets, followed by another shipment of 500,000 tons, and a later delivery of more than one million.
The deal was met with anger and frustration from the Ukrainian side, with Zelenskyy telling Axios that Trump’s decision to ease sanctions against Russia was neither fair nor honest.
He also described it as a birthday present for Putin.
And, in another sign of their continually deteriorating relationship, President Trump accused Zelenskyy on October 18 of deliberately prolonging the war.
Writing on Truth Social, the president said that Zelenskyy “doesn’t want to end this war, and probably never did.”
That dispute between the U.S. and Ukraine also looks set to widen, as Russia and the United States discuss potential economic deals that would bring the countries closer, with analysts noting the efforts likely aim to incentivize Moscow to end the conflict as soon as possible.
About the Author: Jack Buckby
Jack Buckby is a British researcher and analyst specializing in defense and national security, based in New York. His work focuses on military capability, procurement, and strategic competition, and he produces and edits analysis for policy and defense audiences. He brings extensive editorial experience, with a career output spanning over 1,000 articles at 19FortyFive and National Security Journal, and has previously authored books and papers on extremism and deradicalization.
