US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has declined to say whether Washington will expand deliveries of interceptor missiles for Ukraine's Patriot systems, telling reporters on the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore on 30 May that the United States would "find a way" to help Kyiv defend itself.
Hegseth was responding to a question about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's recent appeal for more Patriot munitions. He gave no direct answer on whether a decision had been taken, instead pointing to an overhaul of US weapons manufacturing.
"We are changing the way we produce all of these critical munitions, so our companies deliver not just a little more, but significantly more across the board," Hegseth said.
"Find a way to provide what's needed"
The Pentagon chief stressed that Washington helps Ukraine where it can and is pressing European allies to shoulder a larger share of support. "Where we can help Ukraine, we do. Where we can enable Europe to do more, we do that too," he said.
Hegseth praised European partners' efforts and said Ukraine must be able to defend itself against Russian strikes. "We want Ukraine to be able to defend itself, and we will find a way to provide the help it needs," he said, without confirming any increase in Patriot interceptor supplies.
Zelenskyy's letter to Trump and Congress
The remarks follow an urgent letter Zelenskyy sent to US President Donald Trump and members of Congress on 26 May, first reported by the Kyiv Independent and confirmed by presidential communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn. In it, Zelenskyy asked for accelerated supplies of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, warning that Ukraine relies "almost exclusively" on the United States to stop ballistic missiles and that its stockpiles are running low.
Ukraine's Ambassador to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna, said the appeal — distributed to the White House and Congress — followed Russia's massive 24 May assault on Kyiv. The letter also flagged that the current pace of deliveries through the NATO-backed Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) no longer matches the threat, and offered to expand joint Patriot production with US allies under American control.
Strikes and Russian threats
The Ukrainian Air Force said the 24 May barrage involved roughly 90 missiles and 600 drones, with Kyiv the main target. The strike marked the third combat use of Russia's Oreshnik missile in the war on Ukraine.
A day after the attack, Russia's Foreign Ministry announced what it called "systematic strikes" on military-industrial sites and "decision-making centers" in Kyiv and urged foreign diplomats to leave the city — warnings Western missions, including the EU delegation, have publicly rejected.
