Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has revealed that former US President Donald Trump redirected 20,000 anti-drone missiles, originally intended for Ukraine, to American forces in the Middle East.
In an interview with ABC News published Sunday, Zelensky revealed that the missiles, designed specifically to counter swarms of Iranian-made Shahed drones, were crucial to Ukraine’s defense strategy against escalating Russian aerial assaults.
“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 said.
The missile delivery plan was reportedly coordinated under the Biden administration alongside then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, but a report from The Wall Street Journal on June 4 revealed that the Trump administration redirected the shipment due to urgent needs in the Middle East.
The reallocation included advanced fuzes for the US-made Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) and was communicated to Congress via a classified Pentagon notice. The shift occurred under current Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian military intelligence has warned of a potential surge in Russian drone warfare, citing preparations for strikes involving over 500 long-range drones in a single night—evidence of Moscow’s increasing production and launch capabilities.
Since returning to office in January, Trump has paused the approval of new US military aid packages to Ukraine, citing concerns over prolonged involvement in the war. While shipments were temporarily halted, they resumed following a March 11 ceasefire agreement negotiated in Jeddah.
What you should know
President Zelensky says Donald Trump’s administration redirected 20,000 anti-drone missiles originally intended for Ukraine, undermining Kyiv’s defense against Russian drone attacks. The move adds to concerns over the US’s shifting stance on Ukraine under Trump’s leadership.
