Ukraine is pressuring NATO allies to make immediate decisions on air defense at the upcoming summit, warning that delays in supplying Patriot interceptors are costing lives as Russia intensifies ballistic missile attacks. Kyiv has appealed to nearly 40 partner countries to urgently transfer Patriot missiles from existing stockpiles.
The push follows a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv that killed at least 30 people. Speaking at a damaged residential building, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, “If our partners had delivered what they promised on time, we could have saved more homes and, frankly, more lives.”
The US-made Patriot system remains Ukraine’s only effective defense against ballistic missiles, but officials say interceptor supplies are critically low. Ukrainian officials informed allies that during recent attacks, only a few interceptors were available to counter dozens of incoming missiles. While Ukraine has signed contracts for hundreds of new PAC-2 missiles, deliveries are years away.
Global stockpiles are stressed. The recent war involving the US and Israel against Iran depleted nearly a third of the global supply of Patriot interceptors, with Gulf states firing over 1,100. Production is capped at roughly 600 units annually by Lockheed Martin, while Russia produces about 120 ballistic missiles monthly.
At the summit, Ukraine is seeking a defined multi-year financial commitment from European allies and concrete steps to bolster air defense, including immediate donations, procurement financing, and industrial licensing. Kyiv aims to shift NATO’s perception of the country from an aid recipient to a security provider, seeking explicit recognition in the summit declaration as a contributor to Euro-Atlantic security.