U.S. Media Claims Trump Administration Has Not Approved Transfer of "Patriot" Interceptors to Ukraine

According to a report by the Washington Post on October 19, the Trump administration has not yet approved the transfer of Patriot missile defense system interceptors to Ukraine, reported Xinhua News Agency from Washington on October 19 (reporters Huang Qiang and Xu Jianmei).

The report cites U.S. officials and several informed sources saying that the unapproved portion of the Patriot interceptors comes from countries friendly to Ukraine. According to relevant agreements, such transfers require approval from U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper. Currently, Esper has not formally vetoed these transfers, but he has also not completed the necessary procedures for approval. Esper had previously approved some assistance provided by the U.S. to Ukraine.

The report also mentioned that the delay in approving the transfer of Patriot interceptors coincides with the increasingly strained relationship between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky. Trump has recently criticized Zelensky multiple times, stating that Zelensky "does not want to solve" the Ukraine crisis and is not worth dealing with by the U.S. Ukraine claims that its use of the U.S. Starlink system has been throttled and that it has not received warnings from the U.S. regarding Russian missile attacks. The U.S. has denied Ukraine's claims.

Zelensky stated on social media on the 19th that the agreements with partners "have not yet been implemented," and that the U.S. Department of Defense "is also experiencing delays in the delivery of certain critical supplies." He has issued an "urgent task" to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Presidential Office, urging partners to "provide air defense support to Ukraine as soon as possible."