Trump administration redirects 20,000 anti-drone missiles meant for Ukraine, Zelensky confirms
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally intended for Ukraine to American forces in the Middle East, in an interview with ABC News published on June 8.
Zelensky said Ukraine had counted on the missiles to help counter relentless Russian drone attacks, which include swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed-type drones. On June 1, Russia launched a record 472 drones in a single night.
"We have big problems with Shaheds… we will find all the tools to destroy them," Zelensky said. "We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it's a special technology."
Zelensky said the plan had been agreed upon with then-U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and was launched under President Joe Biden's administration.
The Wall Street Journal reported on June 4 that the Trump administration had redirected the munitions, which include special fuzes used in advanced rocket systems to intercept drones, toward U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East.
The Pentagon reportedly informed Congress in a classified message that the reallocation of the fuzes for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System was deemed an "urgent issue" by current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
A Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) source told the Kyiv Independent on June 4 that Russia is preparing to launch more than 500 long-range drones per night in future attacks, as Moscow rapidly scales up drone production and constructs new launch sites.
The Trump administration has halted the approval of new military aid packages to Ukraine since the start of his second term in January.
Trump has repeatedly expressed skepticism about continued assistance to Kyiv and temporarily suspended military shipments earlier this year, only resuming them after Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire framework during peace talks in Jeddah on March 11.
Hegseth, who ordered the temporary halt, did not attend the most recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting on June 4 — the first such absence by a U.S. defense chief since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.
Ukraine has urgently called on Western partners to expand investments in domestic arms production and deliver more air defense systems, including U.S.-made Patriots, to counter intensifying Russian airstrikes.
Despite growing international appeals and Kyiv's offer of a 30-day ceasefire as the basis for peace talks, Moscow continues to reject the proposal.
Trump, who spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 4, has refused to impose new sanctions on Russia, saying he is focused on pursuing a negotiated ceasefire.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
