Zelensky Urges Trump For More Patriot Missiles As Russia Threatens Escalation
Volodymyr Zelensky is urgently appealing to President Donald Trump and Congress for additional Patriot missile defense systems as fears grow over a major new wave of Russian strikes against Ukraine.
In a dramatic five-page letter sent on Memorial Day, Zelensky warned that “the fate of many lives is being decided” while stressing that American-made Patriot systems remain Ukraine’s most effective defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks.
“Patriot systems remain the most effective defense against every type of Russian ballistic missile,” Zelensky wrote. “The majority of Russian missiles can be stopped.”
The Ukrainian president acknowledged that Kyiv has significantly improved its ability to counter drones, claiming Ukraine now intercepts more than 90% of Russian drone attacks. But he admitted missile defense remains a major vulnerability because Ukraine still lacks the capability to produce anti-ballistic systems domestically.
Trump has so far resisted approving large new direct military aid packages to Ukraine during his second term. Instead, his administration has relied on the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List program, allowing NATO allies to purchase American-made weapons systems for Ukraine.
Zelensky argued the current pace of Patriot missile deliveries is no longer sufficient given the scale of the growing Russian threat.
“Ukraine is ready to purchase the number of Patriot systems and interceptor missiles we need,” he wrote while emphasizing Ukraine’s willingness to work directly with the United States and allied nations.
The appeal comes after Russia launched another large-scale missile assault over the weekend that reportedly included hypersonic missiles targeting Ukrainian territory.
At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reportedly warned Marco Rubio to evacuate American personnel from Kyiv ahead of what Moscow described as future “systematic and consistent strikes.”
Zelensky also attempted to pitch expanded Patriot production as a broader strategic investment benefiting not only Ukraine, but the United States and its allies worldwide.
“We know — because we have tested it in modern war that American weapons work,” Zelensky wrote. “They work exceptionally well.”
The renewed pressure campaign arrives as the Trump administration simultaneously juggles rising tensions involving Iran, ongoing military operations in the Middle East, and mounting concerns over global weapons stockpiles stretched across multiple conflicts.