Zelenskyy says Ukraine averages 12 Patriot missiles monthly from US
The Ukrainian president stated that Kyiv used 35 interceptors in October and is awaiting approval for 23 additional units.
By Marco Whitaker ·
Ukraine’s air defense inventory faces a supply gap that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described as a persistent challenge. He stated that Kyiv receives an average of 12 Patriot missiles per month from the United States in 2026. Zelenskyy said this flow of ammunition is necessary to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The president noted that Ukraine purchased a large volume of weapons from the United States this year. He said European partners paid for those purchases and that the equipment arrived without issues. He identified the supply of Patriot interceptor missiles as the primary area of difficulty.
Zelenskyy said he works daily to secure interceptor missiles. He explained that he must seek new aid packages every week to maintain protection against Russian strikes. This routine effort to replenish stockpiles defines the current logistics of the defense sector.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed off on a package of 12 missiles. Zelenskyy called this approval a positive development. However, he said Ukraine has used 35 missiles in the current month alone. The president is now seeking approval for another 23 missiles that Kyiv has sourced from other countries.
During a meeting in New York, Zelenskyy asked President Donald Trump to approve a winter package of missiles. The Ukrainian leader specified the number of interceptors required. He told Trump that if the request were approved, Ukraine would refrain from striking oil refineries.
Zelenskyy named the countries that currently hold the requested missiles when Trump asked where they could be obtained. The US president replied that the United States would do everything it could to help. Trump also stated that the US needed the missiles for its own use and had limited supplies.
On October 26, Zelenskyy announced that Kyiv had waited nearly a month for Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS systems. He instructed his team to discuss the matter with the US side again.
