President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally intended for Ukraine were diverted by the Trump administration to support U.S. troops in the Middle East.
In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Zelensky said Ukraine had been relying on the missiles to counter relentless Russian drone attacks, many of which involve Iranian-made Shahed drones.
“We have big problems with Shaheds… We will find all the tools to destroy them. We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology,” Zelensky stated.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the redirected shipment included specially designed fuzes for the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System. The transfer was ordered under Trump’s new Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, and Congress was informed via a classified message.
Zelensky noted that the system was initially approved during Joe Biden’s first term with former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, aimed at providing Ukraine with an affordable, precise defense against drone strikes.
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Ukraine’s military intelligence now warns that Russia may be preparing to escalate its drone campaign, with the possibility of launching over 500 drones in a single night as Moscow expands its arsenal.
Since Trump returned to office in January, no new military aid has been approved for Ukraine. Existing shipments were temporarily halted earlier this year and resumed only after Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire framework during peace talks in Jeddah on March 11.
Zelensky’s disclosure further highlights the evolving nature of U.S. foreign aid policy and Ukraine’s increasingly precarious access to critical defense resources.