---
title: "Missile Hunger: Zelenskyy Admits Ukraine Has to 'Squeeze' Patriot Missiles from Allies One by One"
description: "Zelenskyy admitted that Ukraine has to literally 'squeeze' Patriot missiles from allies a few at a time, as official supplies lag behind attacks by a factor of two. The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported a critical shortage of ammunition, while Trump proposed a solution to the problem — permission to produce systems in the US. 🚀🇺🇦"
date: 2026-07-09T08:46:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/missile-hunger-zelenskyy-admits-ukraine-has-to-squeeze-patriot-missiles-from-allies
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Missile Hunger: Zelenskyy Admits Ukraine Has to 'Squeeze' Patriot Missiles from Allies One by One

![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with a serious expression in front of the Ukrainian flag, discussing the shortage of Patriot missiles.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/09/zelenskiy-uzhimaet-rakety-patriot-iz-soyuznikov/zelenskiy-uzhimaet-rakety-patriot-iz-soyuznikov-1.webp)

The Ukrainian air defense system is at a critical juncture. Despite promises from Western partners, actual supplies of interceptor missiles are failing to keep pace with the tempo of Russian aggression. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an exclusive comment to journalist Ramin Hekmatyar, revealed details of the situation, admitting that the country is literally having to 'squeeze' ammunition from its allies' stockpiles.

### The Math of Survival: Supply Imbalance

Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed that Ukraine will receive a new package of missiles for the Patriot PAC-3 systems in the near future. However, according to the President, this is merely a drop in the bucket. The official PURL program (Program for Urgent Replenishment of Long-range Missiles), funded by European countries, stipulates certain monthly deliveries. But the reality is this: the number of missiles arriving from the enemy is twice the volume of official supplies.

"We agreed on one PAC-3 package... but that is not enough," the Ukrainian leader stated. To compensate for the shortage, Kyiv is forced to resort to unofficial mechanisms. Zelenskyy described this process as gathering drop by drop: "And so, 5, 10, 20 missiles were scraped together from each country a little bit, so that Ukraine could survive".

### Critical Shortage and 'Empty' Warehouses

The situation on the front lines looks alarming. The Ukrainian Air Force previously reported a critical depletion of stocks for Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems. In some units, ammunition has practically run out. Defense Minister Advisor Serhiy "Flash" Besskrystnov was even more candid: according to him, Ukraine currently effectively has no missiles to intercept Russian ballistic targets.

Kyiv has sent requests to 40 countries asking them to provide missiles. At the same time, Ukraine offers future supplies, which are already contracted for it, in exchange. However, diplomacy is hitting a geopolitical reality: countries bordering Russia assess the threat from its side as high and are not ready to give up their strategic reserves. Germany, in particular, is among them.

### Seeking Alternatives: From Freya to Production in the US

Understanding that 'squeezing' stocks is a temporary measure, Ukraine is looking for long-term solutions. The only correct option, Zelenskyy sees, is the creation of an alternative to PAC-3. The President announced that in the coming weeks, an attempt will be made to gather the countries of the anti-ballistic coalition for the joint production of components of the new Freya system.

Parallel to this, a project with Germany is developing to create a common air defense system to protect the entire European continent. This project is designed to close the deficit in ballistic missile interception, which many European countries are feeling.

Against the backdrop of these efforts, significant statements have also been made in the US. President Donald Trump stated that the United States could give Ukraine the right to independently produce Patriot surface-to-air missile systems. This decision could radically change the situation with the provision of the Ukrainian sky, eliminating dependence on foreign warehouses.