Zelenskiy says Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US sign-off on Patriot and NASAMS missiles
President Zelenskiy said on X that Ukraine has waited almost a month for US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve Patriot and NASAMS missile supplies, and that he has told his team to raise it with Washington again. The delay comes amid strained US-Ukraine relations and intensified Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.
1 / 2
The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday 26 October that Ukraine has been waiting nearly a month for US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS air defence systems. The Straits TimesRC “we have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Kyiv has been waiting nearly a month for US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to approve the transfer of Patriot and NASAMS missiles to the country.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Mixed · 2Writing on X, he said he had instructed his team to raise the matter with the American side "once again". The Straits TimesRC “I instructed our team to raise this with the American side once again,” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “he had instructed his team to raise the issue with Washington “once again.”” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Anadolu said he made the remarks after a coordination call on weapons supplies from partners and on restoring energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes, and that Ukraine is working with the United States, Europe and other partners holding PAC-2 and PAC-3 stocks. Anadolu AgencyN “He said he held a coordination call on weapons supplies from partners and efforts to restore energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.”“We are working on several tracks -- with the United States, Europe, and other partners that have stocks of PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles,”” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Officials also discussed preparations for next month's Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine's allies, with Zelenskiy stressing the need to speed up decisions that have been pending for some time. Anadolu AgencyN “preparations for next month’s Ramstein-format meeting of Ukraine’s allies, stressing the need to accelerate decisions that have been pending for some time.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Right · 1Reuters, carried by the Straits Times, said the US supplies missiles purchased by NATO allies under a programme known as PURL, and that Zelenskiy has repeatedly urged Washington to speed deliveries ahead of winter as Russia steps up attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure. The Straits TimesRC “which supplies missiles purchased by NATO allies under a program known as PURL, to speed up deliveries ahead of winter.”“as Russia stepped up attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Right · 1Last week US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that a batch of interceptors may not have been delivered, but said the delay was not for political reasons, according to Reuters. The Straits TimesRC “Rubio acknowledged that a batch of interceptors may not have been delivered, but said that the delay was not for political reasons.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Centre · 1Anadolu cited a Washington Post report from last week that the Trump administration had delayed approval of Patriot interceptor transfers: Hegseth had not formally rejected them but had not completed the required steps to authorise them, and some missiles are being transferred by friendly countries that need his approval. Anadolu AgencyN “Hegseth had not formally rejected the proposed transfers but also had yet to complete the required steps to authorize them.”“Some of the missiles are being transferred by countries friendly to Ukraine that require Hegseth's approval for the handover” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1The report also noted that Hegseth had continued to approve some US assistance to Ukraine, suggesting the delays do not necessarily signal a complete halt to American support. Anadolu AgencyN “Hegseth had continued to approve some US assistance to Ukraine, suggesting that the delayed transfers do not necessarily signal a complete halt to American support.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Right · 1The delay adds to tensions with Washington after President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticised Ukraine for not stopping attacks on Russian refineries, Reuters said. The Straits TimesRC “after President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticised Zelenskiy for Ukraine's unwillingness to stop attacks on Russian refineries.” Read at The Straits Times ↗
Mixed · 2Ukraine has also said it had gaps in US intelligence on Russian missile attacks and that the military version of Starlink was throttled for days; Reuters reported the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House, while Elon Musk and US officials each said only the other could have made such decisions. The Straits TimesRC “Reuters has reported that the order to throttle Starshield came from inside the White House.”“Both SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and US officials have said publicly that any decisions on Starlink and Starshield limitations could only have been taken by the other.” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Zelenskyy saying the downgrade had cost Ukrainian lives.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Anadolu leads with Zelenskyy's statement and the context of the coordination call, then adds the Washington Post's account of the procedural delay.
- Emphasis
- The approval process, Hegseth's role, the Ramstein-format meeting, and the Washington Post's point that this is not a complete halt in aid.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention Rubio's comment, the PURL programme or the diesel deal.
- Charged language
- “sub-par speeds”
- For example
-
“Hegseth had not formally rejected the proposed transfers but also had yet to complete the required steps to authorize them.” — Anadolu Agency
“The news follows a recent dispute over Ukraine getting sub-par speeds from Elon Musk’s US-based satellite service” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Straits Times runs Reuters copy that frames the delay as part of mounting US-Ukraine friction, alongside the diesel deal and Starlink throttling.
- Emphasis
- Winter urgency, Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, Rubio's denial of political motive, the Trump diesel deal and Starshield throttling.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Washington Post's finding that Hegseth had not formally rejected the transfers or the Ramstein meeting. This is agency copy, so it is not the outlet's own framing.
- Charged language
- “critical missile supplies”
- For example
-
“Delayed missile deliveries are adding to Ukraine's tensions with the US” — The Straits Times
“said that the delay was not for political reasons.” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Zelenskiy said on X on 26 October that Ukraine has waited nearly a month for Hegseth to sign off on Patriot and NASAMS missiles.
- He instructed his team to raise the issue with the US again.
- The delay comes amid strained US-Ukraine relations, including the Starlink speed dispute.
Where accounts differ
-
Why the delivery has stalled
- Centre
- Anadolu cites the Washington Post: Hegseth has not rejected the transfers but has not completed the steps to authorise them, and he still approves some aid.
- Right
- Reuters via the Straits Times: Rubio said a batch may not have been delivered but the delay was not for political reasons; the piece links it to wider tensions with Trump.
Volodymyr Zelensky person
Says Ukraine has waited nearly a month for Hegseth's approval, has told his team to raise it again, and stresses that each support package protects lives.
““Every support package is an opportunity to protect people's lives,”” — Anadolu Agency
“I instructed our team to raise this with the American side once again,” — The Straits Times
East and Southeast Asia1 outlet
The Straits Times carries Reuters copy focused on the delay's place in US-Ukraine tensions.
“Delayed missile deliveries are adding to Ukraine's tensions with the US” — The Straits Times
The Straits Times
Middle East1 outlet
Anadolu focuses on the approval process and Zelenskyy's diplomatic efforts with partners.
“We are working on several tracks -- with the United States, Europe, and other partners” — Anadolu Agency
Anadolu Agency
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
-
Neutral Reports Zelenskyy's post and adds Washington Post detail that the approval is pending rather than refused.
Right1 article
-
The Straits TimesRC · · via Reuters
Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US to sign off on Patriot missiles, Zelenskiy says
Neutral Reuters wire copy presenting the delay as one of several irritants in US-Ukraine relations.
- 26 Oct 13:05 First The Straits TimesRC Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US to sign off on Patriot missiles, Zelenskiy says via Reuters
- 26 Oct 14:49 +1h 43m Anadolu AgencyN Zelenskyy says Ukraine has waited nearly a month for US transfer approval of Patriot, NASAMS missiles
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
Ask about this story
Loading…