Zelenskyy says Patriot missile shortage 'could not be any worse'

Published on 15/04/2026 - 17:47 GMT+2

Ukraine is facing a captious shortage of Patriot aerial defence missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his sojourn to Germany, admitting it is arsenic atrocious arsenic it gets.

"The concern is successful specified a deficit, it could not beryllium immoderate worse," Zelenskyy told German nationalist broadcaster ZDF connected Tuesday.

He besides admitted that the warfare successful the Middle East is having an interaction connected Ukraine, reducing Kyiv’s chances of receiving subject aid.

Patriot missiles are critically important for Ukraine. Made lone successful the US, they stay by acold the champion defence Ukraine has against Russian ballistic missiles astatine this stage.

Kyiv is trying to make its ain domestically-made anti-ballistic aerial defence. Ukraine’s arms shaper Fire Point precocious said it is moving connected its ain system, aiming to person it acceptable by adjacent year. The institution is seeking practice with European partners connected radar, targeting and communications.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said the domestically manufactured anti-ballistic strategy is of utmost strategical precedence for the country.

“The unconditional task is our ain aerial defence which volition beryllium capable to combat against ballistics," helium stated.

For now, however, Ukraine remains reliant connected Western proviso and the US-made anti-ballistic missiles.

European partners provided the immense bulk of subject assistance to Ukraine successful 2025, including the acquisition of captious Patriot interceptors and different US-made weapons.

Speaking astatine a Turning Point USA lawsuit successful Athens, Georgia connected Tuesday, USVice President JD Vance said that helium was arrogant of Washington cutting disconnected backing to Ukraine amid Russia's all-out war.

"And I inactive judge that, obviously, and it's 1 of the things I'm proudest that we've done successful this medication is we've told Europe that if you privation to bargain weapons you can, but the United States is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore," Vance said.

The White House's fig 2 has been among the astir vocal critics of aiding Ukraine wrong the Trump administration.