Zelenskyy Presses US for More Patriot Missiles as Russia Intensifies Strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that he is urgently pushing the United States to provide more Patriot air defense missiles as Russian ballistic attacks continue targeting Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.

Speaking during a visit to Sweden, Zelenskyy said he had written directly to U.S. President Donald Trump and members of Congress earlier this week requesting additional military support.

So far, Ukraine has not received a response.

“I believe the U.S. must act quicker. We are being very persistent,” Zelenskyy told reporters.

Ukraine warns Patriot missile supplies are running low

Kyiv says Patriot systems remain one of the few effective defenses against Russia’s long-range ballistic missile attacks.

Ukrainian officials warn that available missile supplies are becoming critically low as the ongoing Iran conflict places additional pressure on U.S. military stockpiles.

Russia has repeatedly used missile strikes to damage Ukraine’s power grid and hit major urban areas since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022.

Despite warnings from Moscow about potential new “systemic strikes” on Kyiv, foreign diplomatic missions in the Ukrainian capital continue operating normally, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.

Ukraine to buy Swedish Gripen fighter jets

During his trip, Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine plans to purchase 20 Gripen fighter jets from Sweden in a deal worth 2.5 billion euros ($2.9 billion).

Sweden will additionally donate 16 older Gripen aircraft once the purchase agreement is finalized.

The acquisition will be financed through the European Union’s recently approved 90 billion-euro support loan package for Ukraine.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the older aircraft are expected to arrive early next year, while the newly built jets will begin delivery from 2030 onward.

Ukraine says the fighter jets will help intercept Russian aircraft launching glide bombs against Ukrainian positions.

Zelenskyy added that Kyiv ultimately hopes to build a fleet of 150 Gripen aircraft.

Ukraine’s drone warfare reshaping modern combat

Ukraine has increasingly relied on drones to offset Russia’s numerical military advantage along the 1,250-kilometer front line.

Zelenskyy said Ukrainian drone specialists have also assisted countries in the Gulf region and at U.S. military bases in the Middle East during the Iran conflict.

According to the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, Ukraine’s drone operations are disrupting Russian logistics, slowing troop movements and limiting Moscow’s ability to sustain frontline offensives.

Russia currently occupies around 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014.

The war has inflicted enormous casualties on both sides. Britain’s intelligence agency GCHQ estimated this week that nearly 500,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the conflict began.