Key facts
- President Zelensky requested 300 Patriot interceptor missiles for Ukraine's winter air defense.
- The proposed package includes 100 missiles per month for the winter season.
- Ukraine's current stock of Patriot missiles has been depleted.
- The Patriot system is the only one capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
- Ukraine and nine European partners launched the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition.
- The coalition aims to enhance European missile defense and support Ukraine's Freya system.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a significant increase in air defense capabilities, specifically requesting 300 Patriot interceptor missiles to bolster Ukraine's defenses during the upcoming winter. During a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, Zelensky outlined the need for approximately 100 Patriot missiles per month throughout the winter, emphasizing that sufficient protection would reduce Russia's incentives to prolong the conflict.
Zelensky highlighted that Ukraine's current supply of munitions for the U.S.-made Patriot systems, which are crucial for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles, has been exhausted. This depletion leaves civilian areas and vital infrastructure exposed to intensified Russian aerial assaults, particularly in Kyiv.
Earlier on the same day, Ukraine, alongside nine European partners, initiated the Anti-Ballistic Missile Coalition. This initiative, announced at the Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris, aims to enhance Europe's overall missile defense capabilities and support the development of Ukraine's indigenous Freya air defense system. Leaders at the summit also discussed providing additional Patriot interceptors and exploring European-developed alternatives to address Ukraine's immediate air defense requirements.