Zelenskyy: Waiting for Trump’s decision on Patriot manufacturing in Ukraine
Photo: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy (facebook.com/zelenskyy.official)
For victory, Russia no longer has any arguments left except ballistic missile strikes. To stop this terror, Ukraine and Europe need a sufficient number of air and missile defense systems, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy states.
NATO summit and defense against ballistic missiles
The head of state stressed that Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to plan the destruction of residential buildings in order to prolong the war. This can only be stopped through the rapid delivery of air defense systems and the development of Europe’s defense capabilities.
"Europe must have its own sufficient capability to defend itself against all types of threats, including this one — Russian ballistic missiles," said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He added that at upcoming international meetings, including the NATO summit, the issue of providing air defense systems should become one of the key outcomes, "if, of course, NATO still means anything to the allies."
Patriot production and expectations from Trump
Ukraine has been negotiating with the US administration for a long time about obtaining licenses to produce Patriot air defense systems.
The president thanked partners who help finance missile purchases through the PURL program, but noted that for reliable protection of lives, Europe and Ukraine need their own production capacities.
"We very much count on a positive response from US President Donald Trump for the protection of lives," he concluded.
He also noted that joint production in Ukraine or together with European partners could significantly support the United States itself during future operations.
Protection of Ukraine’s skies
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine urgently requested Patriot missiles from 40 countries for delivery by July 2026. The supplies are requested in exchange for future batches that have already been contracted for Ukraine.
The shortage of these munitions remains a key challenge, as they are the only systems capable of intercepting enemy ballistic missiles. To address this issue, a record contract for hundreds of PAC-2 missiles was signed in the spring with Germany’s support, and a €1 billion EU loan was also secured to purchase around 100 Patriot missiles.
At the same time, in June, Zelenskyy set a strict deadline regarding Patriot systems and warned of possible personnel consequences. According to the head of state, Ukraine has clear agreements to purchase air defense systems at the highest political level, but responsible agencies have delayed the necessary legal steps to implement these contracts.
