washington-power / analysis

Pentagon Stalls Europe-Paid Patriot Missiles for Ukraine as Trump-Zelenskyy Rift Deepens

Zelenskyy says interceptors bought by European allies are waiting on Pete Hegseth's signature, while Washington insists nothing has changed and Russia keeps striking Ukraine's grid.

By Ecker Geopolitics Desk · Reviewed and edited by Brendan Ecker

· Updated · 1 min read

A U.S. Army Patriot missile launcher stands ready at an airfield in eastern Poland

The Washington Post reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not approved transfers of American-made Patriot interceptors to Ukraine, and a Ukrainian official says only a couple are left. Zelenskyy offers a 30-day halt to refinery strikes in exchange for air-defense cover. Rubio and Hegseth say U.S. policy is unchanged and point to U.S. stockpile needs after the Iran war.

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Patriot missiles Ukraine · Pete Hegseth · Volodymyr Zelenskyy · Donald Trump · Marco Rubio · PURL · PAC-3 MSE · Steve Witkoff

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