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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the US government for an emergency package of 300 Patriot missile interceptors before winter, warning that Ukraine’s air defence stockpiles are almost exhausted as Russia continues launching large-scale ballistic missile attacks.
In an interview with Axios following his White House meeting on Tuesday with President Donald Trump, which lasted more than an hour, Zelensky said Ukraine urgently needs additional interceptors to protect its energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
“We needed the Patriots yesterday,” Zelensky said.
According to Zelensky, Russia launches between 30 and 40 ballistic missiles during each major strike and carries out three to five large-scale attacks every month. He warned that without additional Patriot interceptors, Russian missile attacks could severely damage Ukraine’s power system, leaving millions without heating during the winter.
Zelensky said Trump agreed to accelerate the granting of licences that would allow Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptor missiles domestically, building on discussions held during this month’s NATO summit in Turkey. After leaving the White House, Zelensky met representatives from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, which manufacture the Patriot system, to discuss production.
He acknowledged that even if Ukraine receives the licences, it could take between one and five years before production reaches meaningful levels.
Zelensky said Trump promised to try to help secure additional Patriot interceptors but acknowledged the request was complicated by US demand for the system during the conflict with Iran.
Ukraine is also prepared to share military technology and expertise with the United States in exchange for additional Patriot interceptors, Zelensky said. He added that Ukrainian and US defence companies are exploring whether domestically produced ballistic missiles could be adapted into interceptor weapons with capabilities similar to the Patriot system, which he said would provide a faster and cheaper solution.
“Our relations are much better and more constructive. Not so emotional like it was. And I think that it’s good that it’s better,” Zelensky said.
As diplomatic discussions continued, Ukraine carried out another wave of long-range strikes inside Russia.
Ukraine’s military said it struck two major oil refineries in the Perm and Ryazan regions, facilities it described as supporting Russia’s military operations. The attacks formed part of Kyiv’s campaign to disrupt Russian fuel supplies and military logistics. Russian authorities acknowledged attacks in both regions, although the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear.
Zelensky also said one outcome of his meeting with Trump could be a visit to Kyiv by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner within the next two weeks. If confirmed, it would mark their first visit to Ukraine after multiple trips to Russia during efforts to broker a ceasefire.
According to Zelensky, the proposed visit would focus on reviving diplomatic efforts to end the war while allowing the two envoys to assess conditions in Ukraine first-hand.
Despite renewed diplomatic contacts, Zelensky reiterated his view that Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for further escalation rather than negotiations.
“This is what we see,” Zelensky said. “It’s not the signal that he wants to stop the war.”
