Zelenskyy says Trump made ‘final decision’ to give Ukraine Patriot licence

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Ukraine has reached an agreement on a fresh batch of Patriot interceptor missiles from an unidentified ally, Suspilne reported . The president made the announcement on September 24 during a meeting with the Ukrainian community in the United States. Zelenskyy refrained from disclosing the partner's identity, the number of missiles, or the delivery schedule.

The intensity of Russia's aerial assault on Ukrainian cities is set to peak this winter, with ballistic strikes on hospitals, power stations, and residential areas driving monthly civilian fatalities to their highest point since the conflict began. The disparity between the number of interceptors Ukraine requires and those offered by allies has emerged as a critical issue in both the defense of Ukrainian cities and the diplomatic impasse.

Details of the agreement Zelenskyy shared the news during a larger address to the diaspora regarding diplomacy, peace efforts, and collaboration with the team of former US President Donald Trump. "We agreed today — I won't say with whom — on a package of [interceptor] missiles for Patriot systems," Zelenskyy told the Ukrainian diaspora in New York.

He provided no additional information. The urgency of ending the war remained the most pressing concern for Ukraine, and Zelenskyy honored awards to community members who had aided the nation's defense. Prior to the New York visit, the interceptor predicament had been discussed with various partners. After meeting with Trump on September 22, Zelenskyy expressed his request for a winter package of Patriot interceptors to Washington.

During the same week, he met with Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi via television, emphasizing the air-defense cooperation and mentioning that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries operates the sole plant outside the United States authorized to manufacture PAC-3 missiles. Zelenskyy emphasized that while Ukraine intercepts 60% of the ballistic missiles Russia launches at Kyiv, the actual number is insufficient.

"It was 60% — not 10% and not zero. And this year, there were moments when it was zero. Not because someone lacks experience, but because someone lacks missiles," Zelenskyy told journalists in New York. Since August 12, Ukraine's Air Force has ceased publishing specific data on the number of missiles Russia fires, only reporting the number it successfully intercepts — a rare public metric.

According to this metric, Russia has launched at least 794 ballistic missiles at Ukraine since January, accounting for about 43% of all missiles employed this year, with July's 174 being the highest monthly count. The overnight attack Following Zelenskyy's speech in New York, Russia launched 295 drones at Ukraine overnight on September 24–25.

In Odesa, Russian drones killed two individuals—a 40-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man—and injured two others. Kyiv also suffered damage, with Shaheds striking high-rises in Solomianskyi district, and strikes across the broader region claiming a 14-year-old boy. Explore further 1,000 Patriot missiles are expected to arrive too late for this winter, so Ukraine sought assistance from the Ramstein arms coalition to open its warehouses.

Romanian fighter jets were dispatched as drones approached its airspace. A woman was injured in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and the following day, Russia resumed strikes on Zaporizhzhia and Poltava , causing further injuries. The interceptor crisis Zelenskyy's announcement arrives amid an escalating shortage. In August, he informed CNN that Ukraine possessed around 1% of American Patriot stocks and that 5% would suffice for Kyiv through the winter.

The European Union has attempted to bridge the gap, authorizing Ukraine to utilize loan funds for Patriot missiles and subsequently releasing €6.1 billion ($7.1 billion) for interceptors and drones. However, Ukraine's air force chief cautioned that newly acquired missiles would not arrive in time.