Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged the United States to sell Ukraine more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying even 5% of the US stockpile would help Kyiv survive the winter, while 10% could allow it to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
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Zelensky made the comments in an interview with CNN as Ukraine faces a sharp increase in Russian ballistic missile attacks and a severe shortage of Patriot interceptors.
“This year we have two and a half times less interceptors than we had in 2025,” he said. “Russia has two times more ballistic missiles per month than they had before.”
“If they can sell us 10%, we will destroy all the Russians’ ballistic missiles. I have 1%.”
Zelensky said Russia's intensified attacks had placed further pressure on Ukraine's air defences, particularly around Kyiv. The United Nations has said July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022.
“Each night you have attacks, and four or five times per month we have massive attacks … terrible nights. Very heroic, very resilient people really. But they (are) tired.”
Zelensky describes daily efforts to secure missiles
Zelensky said securing additional interceptors had become a daily priority, involving direct appeals to the US and negotiations with other allies.
“This is what I live each day: from 1% to 5%. I have some months, and million phone calls … I try to exchange something to missiles … I do some things which I can’t even share. It doesn’t mean that it’s outside of the law. But I can’t speak about it.”
He said the global supply of Patriot missiles had been strained by the US war with Iran, during which American and Gulf forces used dozens of interceptors against Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The shortage has left Ukraine facing growing difficulty in defending its cities against Russian missile strikes.
Uncertainty over Ukraine's Patriot production
Zelensky also said uncertainty remained over a proposal for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles under a US licence.
US President Donald Trump had said during the Nato summit in Ankara that he would allow Ukraine to obtain a licence to manufacture the systems. However, Trump later expressed uncertainty about the proposal.
Patriot system manufacturers have since sent officials to Kyiv to discuss potential production, but Zelensky said no agreement had yet been reached.
“I hope that I will get it,” Zelensky said. “I don’t have now 5% and I don’t have such an acceptance. And this is for me is a big challenge, one of the biggest I had from the very beginning of this war.”
Zelensky said he had been appealing directly to the White House through calls and messages, as well as through Ukraine's allies, to secure additional Patriot support.
