President Donald Trump commented on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s public appeals for more Patriot interceptor missiles.
“We want missiles, too,” Trump said, responding to a question from reporters.
Trump did not say whether the remark meant Washington would refuse to send Ukraine any more Patriot missiles.
Zelensky has spoken with growing urgency in recent weeks about Ukraine’s critical shortage of Patriot interceptors, saying it’s the reason the country’s air defense system can’t stop Russian missile strikes. During a massive attack on August 1, Ukraine’s armed forces shot down only one of 27 ballistic missiles. During an attack on August 5, they shot down none of 24.
At a White House meeting on July 28, Zelensky asked Trump to give Ukraine 300 Patriot missiles before winter. Trump refused, U.S. media later reported, citing sources.
The United States and Ukraine are now negotiating a license that would let Kyiv produce its own Patriot interceptor missiles. Even if those talks succeed, the missiles aren’t expected to enter service with Ukraine’s armed forces for at least another year.
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