Sell Ukraine 10% of US Patriots and ‘we will destroy all the Russians’ ballistic missiles,’ Zelensky tells CNN
Kyiv — Ukraine has only a tenth of the interceptor missiles it urgently needs from the United States to stop surging Russian ballistic missile attacks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told CNN in an interview, adding his days are spent in “millions” of phone calls, in opaque deal-making with allies for more. Russian ballistic attacks have risen … The post Sell Ukraine 10% of US Patriots…
Kyiv — President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has informed CNN that his nation possesses only one-tenth of the interceptor missiles it desperately requires to defend against Russia's escalating ballistic missile assaults. These Russian attacks have intensified recently, particularly targeting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Zelensky stated that a tenth of the United States' existing stockpile of Patriots would suffice to neutralize all Russian ballistic missiles, while five percent would be enough to see Ukraine through the winter.
In 2025, Ukraine possessed only two and a half times fewer interceptors compared to the preceding year. Russian ballistic missile launches have surged, with July being the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since the onset of the war in April 2022. "Each night you have attacks, and four or five times per month we have massive attacks ... terrible nights.
Very heroic, very resilient people really. But they are tired," Zelensky remarked. If the United States were to sell Ukraine five percent of its Patriots, Ukraine would manage to endure the winter and safeguard lives. However, a tenth of the US stockpile would render Russian ballistic missiles ineffective, Zelensky asserted. The shortage of these interceptors is particularly acute in Ukraine, where cities during certain nights seem vulnerable to Moscow's rocket attacks.
Zelensky provided insight into his personal efforts in daily negotiations with allies and the United States to acquire more interceptors, though he declined to disclose specific details about these discussions. He expressed skepticism regarding President Donald Trump's promise to permit Ukraine to manufacture Patriots, emphasizing the ongoing challenges in securing the necessary assistance.
Zelensky emphasized the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine and voiced concerns about potential future escalations of the conflict, particularly against NATO member states in the Baltic region.
Written by urgent.news from Egypt Independent's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
