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Zelensky Accuses US of Delaying Patriot Missile Deliveries Paid for by Europe
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused the US on Monday of delaying deliveries of Patriot interceptor missiles already paid for by European allies, telling US senators the shipment awaited Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's signature.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 20, 2026
• 3 Min Read
Missiles awaiting US approval
Ukraine's president put the zelensky US missile delay directly to American senators on Monday, saying the Pentagon was holding up a delivery of Patriot interceptor missiles that European countries had already paid for. According to Zelensky, the shipment was waiting for the signature of US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
He added that several European states were willing to hand over Patriot missiles from their own stockpiles but were still awaiting US approval. In his telling, the missiles were ready and could already be in Ukraine, yet the approval had still not come.
Strikes without early warning
The accusation came as Kyiv repeated its complaint that it received no advance notice of powerful Russian missile strikes, echoing similar claims from last week.
Once again, there was no early warning from our partners,
Zelensky said, as he listed the damage, deaths and injuries from the attacks.
The strikes hit Ukrainian energy facilities and infrastructure, cutting power to more than 500,000 people and forcing emergency repairs to the battered grid.
- •Six people, including three children, were killed in a strike near the northeastern city of Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Washington's denials
The United States has denied making any changes to intelligence-sharing with Ukraine. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting Uzbekistan on Monday, denied that intelligence-sharing had been withdrawn and backed Trump's call for Zelensky to focus on ending the conflict.
Trump also denied ordering a reduction in speeds on the US government-owned and -controlled Starshield network, after Elon Musk said such an order could only have come from the White House.
Strained relations and stalled talks
Relations between Washington and Kyiv have been strained since Trump partially lifted sanctions to strike a diesel-supply deal with Vladimir Putin and slammed Zelensky as a warmonger over Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil refineries. Trump defended the deal and criticised Zelensky, saying "Zelensky doesn't know what he's talking about" and that it was time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine.
Trump said he was ready to meet Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China next month to discuss denuclearisation, with the Ukraine war possibly also on the agenda. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, responding to a Wall Street Journal report, said "the topic of such a hypothetical has indeed been mentioned". Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said such a meeting would only encourage Putin to continue this war.
Zelensky also spoke to Pope Leo XIV on Monday, according to the Vatican, days after the Catholic leader held a similar call with Putin. The Vatican said the Pope urged both sides to allow for the flow of aid into the Russian-occupied town of Oleshky and for civilians to leave.
Trump had vowed a swift end to the war on returning to office but has appeared to tilt towards Russia, including calling for Zelensky to be replaced. Talks remain deadlocked, with Russia refusing to give up its claim to Ukrainian territory and Ukraine steadfastly refusing attempts to force it to do so.
