Zelensky says a U.S. political decision is slowing Ukraine support as missile deliveries face delays

EASTORA REPORT | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday that he believes a political decision has been made in Washington to slow support for Ukraine, citing delayed missile deliveries and repeated failures to provide advance warning of Russian ballistic missile attacks.

Speaking by video to a bipartisan delegation from the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on October 19, Zelensky said the Pentagon was delaying missiles already paid for by Ukraine’s partners through the PURL program. He said that, to his knowledge, one missile package was awaiting U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s approval.

Zelensky also said European partners were waiting for U.S. approval to transfer Patriot interceptors to Ukraine. A separate report later Monday said the Trump administration had not approved a transfer of interceptor missiles to Ukraine.

He said Ukraine had received no warning from its partners before the first wave of the latest Russian ballistic missile attack and described it as the third such case in a short period. “We have received no clear explanation from our partners, our strategic partners, from Washington — why this is happening,” he said.

“All of this suggests that some political decision has been made to slow down support for us,” Zelensky said, adding that he viewed the slowdown as being at odds with Ukraine’s battlefield gains.

Zelensky said Kyiv had offered to stop striking Russian oil refineries for 30 days if the U.S. helped protect Ukrainian airspace during the same period by supplying Patriot interceptors. He said Washington had shown no willingness to accept the proposal.