U.S. Redirects 20,000 Missiles Meant for Ukraine to Middle East

Zelensky says deal had been reached under Biden administration
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald TrumpThe White House
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had diverted 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally intended for Ukraine to U.S. forces in the Middle East.

In an interview with ABC News, Zelensky stated that the missiles—Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS), designed to shoot down drones—had been redirected. He added that Ukraine had been informed of the decision that same morning by Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.

“We counted on this project — 20,000 missiles. Anti-Shahed missiles. It was not expensive, but it’s a special technology,” Zelensky said, referring to Iranian-designed Shahed drones used by Russia to target Ukrainian infrastructure and cities.

The Wall Street Journal first reported the diversion on June 4, noting that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had ordered the weapons redirected due to growing concerns over regional instability in the Middle East. Rising tensions with Iran and the risk of renewed hostilities with Yemen’s Ansar Allah (also known as the Houthis) were cited as primary reasons.

Zelensky emphasized that the deal for the missile supply had been negotiated under former President Joe Biden’s administration, involving the defense contractor BAE Systems.

The revelation underscores a shift in U.S. foreign policy under Trump, who has signaled a decreased commitment to Ukraine compared to the open-ended military aid policies of the Biden era. The decision may also reflect growing concerns about munitions stockpiles, after years of heavy weapons transfers to Ukraine and, more recently, to Israel.

The U.S. conducted a nearly two-month bombing campaign in Yemen from mid-March to early May, which reportedly cost over $7 billion, including more than $1 billion spent on high-cost munitions such as air defense systems. The financial and strategic strain of multiple simultaneous engagements has raised alarm within the administration.

The missile redirection also comes in the aftermath of Ukrainian attacks last weekend, which included drone strikes on Russian strategic bombers and explosions targeting rail lines used by civilian trains. President Trump has since adopted a noticeably more cautious stance toward Ukraine, with officials reportedly expressing displeasure over the attacks and publicly denying any U.S. involvement. That sentiment may have contributed to the decision to withhold the missiles.

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