Pete Hegseth holds up transfer of Patriot missiles to Ukraine paid for by allies

Delay in signing documents for munitions

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has yet to approve the transfer to Ukraine of a significant batch of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems. According to The Kyiv Independent, these munitions have already been paid for by Kyiv’s partner countries. Ukrainian officials fear that Washington is deliberately delaying the supply, attempting to force Ukraine to cease strikes on Russian oil infrastructure.

One senior Ukrainian official and two Ukrainian military personnel, who requested not to be named, reported that Hegseth is not signing the necessary documents for the transfer of the missiles. One official emphasised that the funds for these munitions have already been transferred by partner countries.

Comments from the president and military

President Volodymyr Zelensky also reported on 19 October about delays in the supply of certain critically important types of weapons. In his words, some political agreements are not being fulfilled at the working level.

Ukrainian forces use Patriot systems to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, which pose a serious threat to cities and critical infrastructure. Due to regular Russian strikes, interceptor stocks are of particular importance for protecting Ukrainian airspace.

NATO and Pentagon positions

One of the key supply channels is the PURL programme, under which NATO countries finance the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine. An Alliance representative assured The Kyiv Independent that supplies through this programme are continuing, including air defence assets. Meanwhile, another NATO representative acknowledged that individual deliveries could be delayed but deemed political reasons unlikely.

A US official, quoted by the publication, denied the Ukrainian side’s claims of deliberate blocking of supplies. The Pentagon had not responded to journalists’ requests at the time of publication.

Context of disagreements over oil facilities

The situation has intensified due to disagreements between Kyiv and the administration of US President Donald Trump regarding Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Trump criticised these strikes, linking them to rising fuel prices, while the Ukrainian side emphasises the need to weaken Russian military capabilities.