Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has voiced a harsh assessment of the current situation in the conflict zone. According to him, Russia has no arguments left for victory other than massive strikes with ballistic missiles. The head of state called the rapid buildup of anti-missile systems the only way to stop this terror.
Ultimatum for NATO and Europe
In his statement, Zelenskyy emphasized that Vladimir Putin intends to continue destroying residential buildings to prolong the war. In the opinion of the Ukrainian leader, stopping this process is possible only through the development of Europe's defense capabilities and the rapid supply of air defense systems.
"Europe must have its own sufficient capacity to defend itself from all types of threats, including this one — from Russian ballistics," the president stated.
Special emphasis was placed on upcoming international meetings. Zelenskyy insists that at the next NATO summit, the issue of providing air defense means must become one of the key outcomes. At the same time, he added a stern condition: this must happen, "if, of course, NATO still means something to the allies".
Patriot production and the bet on Trump
Ukraine has been negotiating with the US administration for a long time to obtain licenses for the production of Patriot surface-to-air missile systems. The president thanked partners for financial assistance through the PURL program, but noted that own production capacities are necessary for reliable protection of lives.
A key moment was the appeal to the future leader of the United States. "We are very counting on a positive response from US President Donald Trump for the protection of lives," Zelenskyy concluded. He argued this by stating that joint production in Ukraine or with European partners could support the United States itself during their future operations.
Deadline and personnel risks
The problem of ammunition shortage remains critical, as it is the Patriot missiles that are capable of shooting down enemy ballistics. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine is asking 40 countries for missiles as early as July 2026, offering future batches contracted for the state in exchange.
In the spring, a record contract for hundreds of PAC-2 missiles was signed with the support of Germany, and a loan from the EU of $1 billion was also attracted. However, bureaucratic processes are slowing down the implementation of plans.
In June, Zelenskyy set a strict deadline regarding Patriot deliveries and threatened personnel consequences for the authorized officials. According to the head of state, agreements on the purchase of air defense complexes have been reached at the highest political level, but the responsible departments are delaying the elaboration of the necessary legal steps.
