The United States has stalled the transfer of Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine, raising fresh concerns about Kyiv’s ability to protect its cities from intensifying Russian attacks as tensions between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky continue to grow.
According to US officials cited by The Washington Post, the Trump administration has yet to complete the approval process for missile transfers arranged by countries supporting Ukraine. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is responsible for authorising such transfers because Washington retains control over the weapons, even when they are purchased by other countries.
Although the administration has not formally rejected the proposed transfers, the delay has created uncertainty over when Ukraine will receive additional interceptors. A Ukrainian official reportedly warned last week that the country had only a handful of Patriot missiles remaining in its stockpile.
The shortage comes as Russian forces continue to launch deadly attacks against Ukrainian cities. On Monday, a Russian drone strike in Nova Vodolaha, in the northeastern Kharkiv region, killed six people, including three children, according to Ukrainian authorities. At least 14 others, seven of them children, were reportedly injured.
Zelensky has accused Washington of failing to provide timely military support, particularly intelligence about incoming Russian missile attacks. He said Ukraine received only 60 seconds’ warning before a Russian ballistic missile assault on Kyiv, which he described as another failure by international partners to help protect civilian lives.
However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected allegations that Washington was deliberately withholding intelligence or military assistance to weaken Ukraine. Speaking during a visit to India, Rubio described such accusations as outrageous, insisting that Trump had not ordered a political campaign to harm Kyiv.
Rubio acknowledged that some interceptor missiles purchased for Ukrainian forces might not yet have been delivered but maintained that this did not prove the administration was intentionally obstructing assistance.
Trump, meanwhile, has intensified his criticism of Zelensky, arguing that the Ukrainian president should have reached an agreement with Moscow long ago. The US president also suggested that someone else might be better suited to negotiate on Ukraine’s behalf, further straining relations between the two leaders.
The American president has also drawn criticism over his increasingly conciliatory approach towards Russia. He has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil facilities for rising fuel prices and recently agreed to a deal involving the purchase of 300,000 tonnes of Russian diesel, a move Zelensky described as an investment in the war.
Beyond the missile dispute, Ukraine is facing uncertainty over its access to Starlink and Starshield satellite communication services associated with Elon Musk. Zelensky has warned that restrictions on the technology could endanger lives during Russian attacks, while senior Democratic lawmakers have indicated plans to investigate the limitations imposed on Ukraine’s access.
Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict are continuing despite the growing disagreements. US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to meet Zelensky and European representatives in Oslo to discuss a potential peace proposal, with further talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin also anticipated.
Zelensky said he had spoken with Rubio about three urgent concerns: supplies of ballistic missile interceptors, advance warnings of Russian attacks and the restoration of satellite communication services.
The dispute comes as Ukraine continues to face sustained Russian bombardment and mounting pressure on its air defences. With critical missile supplies reportedly dwindling, the White House’s failure to approve additional transfers could become a major obstacle to Kyiv’s efforts to shield its population while pursuing a diplomatic settlement.
