NATO allies are increasingly doubtful that Ukraine will receive the critically needed Patriot interceptor missiles before the US midterm elections.
Within the Alliance, there is suspicion that US President Donald Trump is using military aid to pressure Kyiv into making concessions, Euronews reports.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is still waiting for US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to sign off on the transfer of additional interceptors. NATO sources describe the situation as unpredictable, as allies have no clear understanding of whether these systems will be released and exactly when they might arrive.
According to the Ukrainian side, over the past two weeks Russia has fired more than 100 ballistic missiles at Kyiv and the surrounding region. At the same time, the United States produces only about 60–65 Patriot interceptors a month. That output must also meet the needs of other US allies around the world, including in the Middle East.
At the same time, Trump is pressuring Ukraine to stop strikes on Russian diesel refineries, arguing that these attacks push up global fuel prices and harm American and European consumers. Experts suggest that by delaying the missiles, Trump is seeking to show voters he is tackling rising fuel prices, while also nudging Kyiv towards a peace deal involving territorial concessions.
Because of the shortfall in US deliveries, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has urged Alliance countries to provide Ukraine with their own Patriot systems. However, Greece and Spain, which have substantial stocks of PAC-2 missiles, have so far not responded to the call.
Former US ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker suggests the delay is also linked to the Pentagon’s desire to preserve reserves for potential combat operations against Iran. According to analysts, US stocks of interceptor missiles have already been cut by roughly half. At the same time, producing them costs more than $4 million per unit and takes almost two years, so there is no quick solution to the ammunition shortage.