Zelensky: Ukraine receives average of just 12 Patriot missiles per month this year

The head of state made this announcement during a conversation with journalists, according to a Ukrinform correspondent.

“The PURL program covers many different items: 20-millimeter rounds for the F-16, HIMARS, as well as Patriots and AIM. We buy a lot from the U.S. Europe paid, everything arrived, and everything was fine. But in some cases, especially with the Patriots, it’s a major challenge. Twelve missiles a month, on average—that’s what we’ll be getting in 2026,” Zelensky said.

The president noted that the search for interceptor missiles is something he works on every day.

“And when there’s a positive decision from one country or another, and they give me 5, 10, 20, or even just 2 missiles—I’m very grateful. I’m living in circumstances today where I constantly—every week—have to put together new packages, new missiles, new defenses. We need this every day—to save the lives of our people from Russian ballistic missiles. We need approval from the United States. That’s all,” the head of state remarked.

Regarding problems with the supply of interceptor missiles from the U.S. and other countries this month, Zelensky noted: “So, there are some documents right on Minister Hegset’s desk that he signed, and perhaps he thinks he signed everything, but that’s not the case. That’s because there’s a package from the United States containing 12 missiles, and he signed it. Great. But I’ve used 35 this month. And the question concerns the 23 that I found in other areas. When we spoke with President Trump in New York, I asked him, ‘Give me the winter package.’ I told him, ‘I need this package. Please approve this package now.” I specified the number of missiles and said that if you give them to me, we won’t strike any oil refineries. And he asked me where to get them. So I told him which countries have them. And he said they’ll do their best, but they need missiles because they don’t have very many themselves.”

As reported, in an interview with “TSN.Tyzhden,” Volodymyr Zelensky stated that progress is being made on the issue of providing Ukraine with missiles for the Patriot systems, but the process is moving very slowly. According to him, at the level of the U.S. Department of Defense, there are delays in the delivery of certain types of vital supplies to Ukraine. 

In an interview with ABC News, the head of state said that over the past three months, Ukraine has received only 24 interceptor missiles for the Patriot systems from the U.S., although its needs are significantly greater.