Only 10 percent of the US stock of Patriot interceptor missiles would be enough for Ukraine to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CNN.
Zelensky warned that Ukraine has significantly fewer missiles for its air defense compared to last year, while Russia has increased the use of ballistic missiles.
"If the US sells us 5% of its stock of Patriot missiles, we will survive the winter and save people's lives. If they can sell us 10%, we will destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. I have 1%," the Ukrainian president said.
According to him, this year Kiev has two and a half times fewer interceptor missiles than in 2025, while Russia has twice as many ballistic missiles.
"Every night there is shelling, and four or five times a month we are subjected to massive strikes. These are terrible nights. People are really very heroic and resilient. "But they are tired," Zelensky said.
According to UN data cited by CNN, July was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since April 2022.
The Ukrainian president said that much of his daily work is spent on phone calls and negotiations with allies in an attempt to secure additional interceptor missiles for air and missile defense systems.
Patriot is of particular importance to Ukrainian defense, as it is among the systems with which Kiev can intercept Russian ballistic missiles. The shortage of interceptors is becoming one of the key problems facing the country amid ongoing Russian air attacks.
Zelensky also touched on the possibility of Ukraine producing Patriot systems and ammunition on its own. According to him, it is still not completely clear whether Kiev will receive the necessary American licenses.
In early July, US President Donald Trump said on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara that he would allow Ukraine to obtain a license for independent production of Patriot. A few days later, however, he said that he was not sure whether he supported such a decision.
Representatives of the manufacturers of the Patriot system subsequently visited Kiev to discuss the possibilities of production in Ukraine, but the results of the talks have not yet been announced.
Zelensky's request for part of the American stockpile comes against the background of the need for Washington to maintain sufficient quantities of interceptors for its own armed forces and for other allies. The US administration has repeatedly stated in recent months that stocks of some types of air defense ammunition are a limited resource.
Therefore, Kiev is demanding not only new supplies from American warehouses, but also to increase production and create its own production capacity. According to Zelensky, this is necessary so that Ukraine can maintain sufficient missile defense in the face of a prolonged war and a growing number of Russian ballistic strikes.