Ukraine needs one thing to get Patriot systems before 2030, Zelenskyy says
Photo: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine (Getty Images)
Ukraine reached an agreement with US manufacturers in 2025 on acquiring Patriot air defense systems and missiles for them, but there is only one way for Kyiv to receive them before 2030, stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference in Kyiv.
"The queue for PAC-2s, PAC-3s, and the Patriot systems is measured in years. Under the current schedule, we could receive this package starting in 2030. That was unacceptable to me and my team. We discussed what alternatives might be available," the President said.
Zelenskyy explained that this could involve an agreement with countries to swap places in the delivery queue. For instance, a nation could give up its place in line for Ukraine to get air defenses ahead of schedule.
However, the President stressed that securing a place in the queue requires financing the contract first.
"And we have to pay. If we were counting only on partners' money, which has not yet arrived, or on European loan funds that haven't arrived yet, then we must do whatever it takes to fund this contract. Otherwise, the systems will arrive in 2030," he said.
What happened before
Earlier today, Zelenskyy said that an agreement on purchasing Patriot air defense systems had been reached "at the highest political level," but implementation has been delayed.
The president stressed that accelerating the contract is a national priority and described it as the "personal responsibility of the officials involved."
Zelenskyy set a one-week deadline for all preparatory steps. He said that after a report on Friday, there would either be clarity on the implementation of the Patriot agreement or "serious personnel consequences."
The comments come as Russia has stepped up the use of Zircon missiles in attacks against Ukraine. During the overnight strike on June 2, Russia launched eight such missiles, but Ukrainian air defenses were unable to intercept them, as not all systems are capable of effectively countering targets of this type.
At the same time, Ukraine's Air Force has reported a critical shortage of missiles for Patriot, NASAMS, and IRIS-T systems. Launch systems in the units are half-empty, and Air Force representatives are forced to beg for 5-10 missiles at international negotiations.
