During a briefing in Brussels, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a critical shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. According to him, the deficit is widespread, as a significant portion of PAC-2 and PAC-3 kits have long been directed to the Middle East. 'Right now, there is a large deficit. Most PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles have been transferred to the Middle East for a long time. This is no secret,' the head of state noted while speaking to journalists.
Ukraine Is Not Priority Number One
Zelenskyy explicitly stated that Kyiv is not among the top priority recipients of these missiles. 'We are not priority number one regarding the allocation of PAC-2 and PAC-3. Nevertheless, we are grateful for the number of missiles we can receive through PURL,' he explained. The president clarified that supplies are coming through the PURL (Presidential Urgent Replenishment Program) funded by European countries: 'Europe pays for this, meaning these are not free missiles and not gifts.' According to him, Kyiv is 'gathering 3, 5, 10 missiles' — as many as can be agreed upon and delivered.
Energy Protection and Data on Interceptor Shortages
Zelenskyy emphasized that under current conditions, the priority is protecting critical infrastructure, primarily energy facilities. In the context of statements about the shortage of interceptors, a CNN source previously reported that Ukraine had run out of Patriot interceptor missiles, which is why most ballistic missiles were not shot down during the latest massive strike. These figures coincide with the president's assessment that the available kits are not enough for complete coverage.
Production and License: Conflicting Statements from Parties
Against the backdrop of the shortage, the issue of domestic production is also being discussed. According to former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera, Japan plans to consider transferring missiles for Patriot to Ukraine despite legal restrictions. Separately, Zelenskyy stated that Donald Trump had 'made a final decision' to hand over licenses for Patriot missile production to Kyiv. However, the next day in a CNN interview, Trump did not confirm this agreement, limiting himself to saying that the interceptor issue was discussed and shifting the conversation to a call for ending the conflict. Thus, the statements of Kyiv and Washington on the status of the licensing agreement do not currently match.
