US delays some Ukraine-paid Patriot missiles, Zelensky says

Ukraine receives only 12 Patriot air defense missiles per month, roughly four times fewer than under the Biden administration, and some already-paid deliveries remain unapproved by the US, President Zelensky said in an October 18 Bloomberg interview. Zelensky stressed Ukraine paid for the weapons, with some shipments approved and others not, calling it not a technical issue. Under Biden, missiles were free military aid; under Trump, Ukraine purchases them. He proposed halting strikes on Russian diesel facilities in exchange for guaranteed Patriot supplies. Allied pressure mounts on Spain and Greece to transfer Patriot interceptors nearing expiration, with Greece holding at least 200 PAC-2 missiles. Spain pledged five interceptors last month, as NATO and EU seek to bolster Ukraine's defenses against Russian strikes.