Zelensky Says 5% of US Patriot Missiles Could Save Ukraine This Winter

In brief: President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN that Ukraine urgently needs more US Patriot interceptors as Russia increases its ballistic missile attacks. He said Ukraine currently has only 1% of the US stockpile, while 5% could help Kyiv survive the winter and 10% could enable it to stop all Russian ballistic missiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the United States for more Patriot interceptor missiles, saying 5% of the current US stockpile could help Ukraine survive the winter, while 10% could allow Kyiv to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles, CNN reported Thursday, Aug. 13.

Zelensky said Ukraine currently has only 1% of the Patriot interceptors it needs, while Russia has sharply increased the number of ballistic missiles it launches each month.

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“If they can sell us 5%, we will go through the winter and save people’s lives. If they can sell us 10%, we will destroy all the Russians’ ballistic missiles. I have 1%,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky said Ukraine’s interceptor stocks have fallen sharply compared with last year, while Russia has increased the intensity of its ballistic missile attacks.

“This year we have two and a half times less interceptors than we had in 2025. Russia has two times more ballistic missiles per month than they had before,” he said.

The shortage is particularly dangerous ahead of winter, when Russia is expected to intensify attacks on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since April 2022, according to the United Nations.

Zelensky said Russian attacks now include several particularly heavy bombardments each month, leaving Ukrainian air defenses under increasing pressure.

“There are terrible nights. Very heroic, very resilient people really. But they are tired,” he said.

The global shortage of Patriot interceptors has also been worsened by the US war with Iran, where the systems have been used against Iranian missile and drone attacks.

Zelensky described securing additional Patriot interceptors as one of his main daily priorities, involving negotiations with the US and other international partners.

“This is what I live each day: from 1% to 5%. I have some months, and million phone calls,” he said.

The Ukrainian president said he was pursuing various arrangements to obtain additional missiles but declined to disclose details of some of them.

“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,” Zelensky said.

Ukraine has also been negotiating with European countries for additional interceptors as US stocks remain constrained.

Zelensky also said he remains uncertain whether Washington will ultimately allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors under license.

US President Donald Trump initially said during the NATO summit in Ankara that Ukraine would receive a license to produce the missiles domestically. He later appeared to back away from the proposal, citing concerns over transferring sensitive technology.

US Patriot manufacturers have sent representatives to Kyiv to discuss possible production, but no final agreement has 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 also confirmed that he recently spoke with US Vice President JD Vance but declined to discuss the details.

The Financial Times previously reported that Vance had raised concerns about Ukrainian attacks on a Russian oil port in the Black Sea, which could affect US companies and global energy prices.

Zelensky did not say whether the issue was discussed during his conversation with Vance.

Zelensky said Ukraine has also presented new proposals for the US-led peace process, which has stalled in recent months.

“We need more involvement of the American side to the peace plan,” he said, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not currently appear ready to end the war and that Moscow is not facing enough pressure.

Zelensky rejected the possibility of Ukraine surrendering the remaining Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donbas sought by Russia.

He said security guarantees are essential because a ceasefire could give Russia time to rebuild its military and launch another invasion.

“Why he will not come again with 1 or 2 additional million soldiers after a big pause. Why he will not come again to occupy us?” Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian president also said he agreed with Western assessments that Putin could eventually seek to expand the war against NATO, potentially targeting the Baltic states.

“He wants quick victory, 100% sure that he will win, occupy or destroy or control,” Zelensky said.

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