The Kyiv Independent reported on Oct. 19th that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is holding up supplies of Patriot missiles, which Ukraine relies on to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, as ties between Ukraine and the U.S. sour with Secretary of War. Pete Hegseth having the contracts for Patriot missiles on his desk. He is not signing off on them even though they have already paid for by Kyiv's allies. Marco Rubio acknowledged that a batch of interceptors may have been held up as the U.S. weighs its strategic priorities.