Zelenskyy thanks US for 500 Patriot missiles but warns deliveries may be years away

The US State Department announced on Friday that it has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptors to Ukraine, in a package worth $2.1 billion. Patriot is one of the world's most advanced air defence systems, and Ukraine uses it to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the decision strong, but warned that deliveries may start only in a few years, even as winter approaches.

Zelenskyy's response

In a social media post, Zelenskyy wrote that 500 PAC-3 interceptors is a substantial number and could, this winter, form a highly effective defence package. However, he said, it has been stipulated that deliveries may begin only in a few years. He asked American partners to find a solution for the time when there is a real danger and a real need to use the interceptors.

He later said the US, European partners and others around the world have sufficient PAC-3 stocks in their warehouses. In his view, the right approach would be to give them to Ukraine now, in the winter of 2026–2027, and to replenish partners' arsenals later, through production already contracted and paid for by Ukraine and its partners.

Why it matters

Kyiv has long called for more interceptors, and the approaching winter makes the need more pressing. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine's power grid in wartime winters in an attempt to break the country's resolve. Dwindling interceptor stocks have encouraged Moscow to step up missile attacks in recent months, and there are fears of an especially brutal winter for Ukrainians.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said Kyiv had been waiting almost a month for US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on a batch of missiles for both Patriot and NASAMS systems.

Ukraine receives most of its Patriots through NATO's Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), an initiative that facilitates the purchase of US military equipment and munitions by allies and partners. According to NATO, as of June 2026 allies had committed to funding more than $6 billion of defence equipment for Ukraine through the scheme.