Ukraine receives German Patriot systems as talks continue on further air defense

"We have strengthened the Patriot component of our Ukrainian air defense. I thank Germany and personally Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz for this joint step to protect human lives from Russian terror," Zelenskyy said.

The president noted that both countries had been preparing this air defense boost for some time, and the agreements have now been fulfilled.

"Russian air strikes are Putin's main stake in this war – through terror, he tries to compensate for his inability to achieve his insane goals on the ground," Zelenskyy added.

He said each enhancement of air defenses brings Ukraine closer to ending the war and stressed that the less the Russian regime succeeds, the greater its motivation to conclude the war.

"Together with our partners, we continue to work on building a reliable air defense system. Our capabilities will be able to guarantee security not only for Ukraine, but also for our partners when needed," Zelenskyy said.

Negotiations on further air defense upgrades are ongoing, both at the government level and directly with system manufacturers.

Germany had announced plans to transfer Patriot systems from Bundeswehr stockpiles to Ukraine in early August 2025, involving two systems. The delivery was carried out with financial support from Denmark, Lithuania, and Norway.

Earlier, during the meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, Zelenskyy called on EU countries to provide Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems. He said Kyiv would return them immediately after receiving systems from the United States.

Recently, Zelenskyy and Merz held a meeting during which the Ukrainian president made "specific requests" for help in strengthening the country's defensive capabilities.