Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a direct, urgent appeal to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders to provide Kyiv with Patriot missile interceptors, arguing the systems are critical to ending the war with Russia. In a five-page letter obtained by journalist Barak Ravid, Zelensky detailed Ukraine's reliance on American-made defenses against ballistic missiles.
“Frankly, while we have achieved significant success in defending against all types of drones, Ukraine has not yet built its own capability to produce anti-missile defense systems,” Zelensky wrote. “When it comes to air defense against missiles we rely on our friends and partners around the world. And when it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States. Patriot systems remain the most effective defense against every type of Russian ballistic missile.”
The timing of the request is critical. The Trump administration is already working to supply interceptors to Ukraine alongside 17 other countries, but the U.S. weapons stockpile has been severely depleted by the conflict in Iran. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the U.S. expended at least 1,060 Patriot interceptors during the Iran war. The administration has requested 3,203 additional interceptors for fiscal 2027, but those deliveries are not expected to begin until May 2029. For fiscal 2026, only 172 interceptors were funded.
CSIS estimates it will take three years or more for the U.S. to return to prewar inventory levels. Still, missiles contracted under the Biden-era Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative continue to be delivered as they roll off production lines.
Zelensky’s plea comes as Russia escalates its assault on Kyiv, urging foreign nationals to leave the capital. “The sooner we are able to provide greater protection against ballistic threats, the sooner we will be able to make diplomacy work,” he wrote on the social platform X. “As long as Russia continues to rely on missiles, its interest in diplomacy is not real. We must correct this. And we can do so only together with America.”
Brig. Gen. Andriy Biletsky, commander of Ukraine’s third army corps, told Reuters the next six months could be a “turning point” in the war, offering a chance for Ukraine to strengthen its battlefield position and potentially open the door to negotiations. The Institute for the Study of War has echoed that assessment.
Zelensky’s letter also underscores a broader strategic dilemma: without robust air defense, Ukraine cannot secure the conditions for a negotiated settlement. “Ukraine is grateful to America for all its support,” he added. “And Ukraine will be even more grateful for a dignified peace and guaranteed security. All of this is possible – if there is sufficient determination.”
The appeal lands amid mixed signals from the Trump administration on Iran, where talks remain in limbo and the threat of further conflict looms. That uncertainty complicates any pledge to accelerate weapons deliveries to Ukraine, as the Pentagon must balance competing demands from two theaters.
