Rubio says Ukraine interceptors may not have arrived, denies political hold
The US secretary of state acknowledged possible non-delivery of interceptors bought for Ukraine, while Zelenskyy accused Washington of delaying missiles needed for air defence.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in Mumbai on October 20 that a batch of interceptors purchased for Ukraine may not have been delivered, according to Reuters. He denied a deliberate political decision to withhold the weapons, which Ukraine is seeking to defend against Russian attacks.
The interceptors were bought through the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List, or PURL, under which NATO allies purchase US weapons for Ukraine. Rubio said there had been no directive to harm Ukraine and that nothing was being deliberately denied to it. It was not immediately clear whether the batch had been delivered or what caused any delay.
Zelenskyy challenges Washington over interceptor deliveries
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused the United States of deliberately delaying interceptor missiles, according to an AFP report carried by RTÉ. He told US senators on October 19 that missiles already paid for by European countries were awaiting approval from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Reuters had separately reported that Hegseth had yet to authorize delivery of the latest package bought by NATO allies under PURL.
Zelenskyy also said several European countries were ready to transfer Patriot interceptors from their own stockpiles but were waiting for US approval, AFP reported. ‘The missiles are ready, and they could already be in Ukraine,’ he said. ‘But unfortunately, there is still no approval.’ His accusation of deliberate delay stands against Rubio’s denial of political withholding.
Rubio and Zelenskyy discuss Ukraine’s air defences
Rubio said he spoke with Zelenskyy for 45 minutes on October 20, Reuters reported. Zelenskyy said their discussion covered ballistic missile interceptors, early warning of Russian attacks, and Starlink and Starshield satellite services. AFP reported that Zelenskyy said Starshield needed to be restored and that the interceptors were needed to protect lives.
Rubio described the issue as balancing US obligations to other partners with requirements for its own facilities, AFP reported. Reuters had reported that Washington threatened to stop the PURL mechanism to press Kyiv to halt deep strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. That account places the missile dispute amid wider tensions over the conduct of the war, though it does not establish why this batch may not have arrived.
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Sources and context
- Rubio says Ukraine interceptors may not have been delivered, but not for political reasonsThe Straits Times (Reuters)
- 'Nothing being deliberately denied' to Ukraine - RubioRTÉ (AFP)
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.