Zelensky: US Pushing Ukraine to Capitulate, Delaying Patriot Missiles

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused US President Donald Trump of trying to pressure Ukraine into capitulating to Russia and of delaying deliveries of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defence systems. He made the remarks in an interview with Bloomberg published on Sunday, October 18.

"I believe steps were taken aimed at pushing Ukraine towards capitulation. I am not saying this is the goal of our partners. I do not want to think that our American partners believe the war ... can be ended faster at Ukraine's expense. But it looks exactly like that."

Missiles paid for but not delivered

Zelensky said the United States is holding up deliveries of interceptors for Patriot systems, which are used to shoot down Russian ballistic missiles. According to him, Ukraine paid for the weapons, including anti-ballistic missiles, under the PURL programme.

"The American side approved the delivery of only some of them, but not the rest. And this is not a technical issue," he said.

The president said the US currently supplies Ukraine with only 12 Patriot interceptors a month, roughly a quarter of the volumes provided under Joe Biden. Moreover, under Trump the United States sells these missiles to Ukraine, whereas Biden provided them free of charge as military aid.

Hopes after the midterms

Zelensky suggested that relations with the United States could improve after the US midterm elections on November 3.

His comments came as Russia kept striking Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles; see our report on the latest attack on Kyiv. For more on the war, visit our world news section.