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

Published on
15/04/2026 – 17:47 GMT+2

Ukraine is facing a critical shortage of Patriot air defence missiles, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during his visit to Germany, admitting it is as bad as it gets.

“The situation is in such a deficit, it could not be any worse,” Zelenskyy told German national broadcaster ZDF on Tuesday.

He also admitted that the war in the Middle East is having an impact on Ukraine, reducing Kyiv’s chances of receiving military aid.

Patriot missiles are critically important for Ukraine. Made only in the US, they remain by far the best defence Ukraine has against Russian ballistic missiles at this stage.

Kyiv is trying to develop its own domestically-made anti-ballistic air defence. Ukraine’s arms producer Fire Point recently said it is working on its own system, aiming to have it ready by next year. The company is seeking cooperation with European partners on radar, targeting and communications.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy said the domestically manufactured anti-ballistic system is of utmost strategic priority for the country.

“The unconditional task is our own air defence which will be able to fight against ballistics,” he stated.

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

European partners provided the vast majority of military assistance to Ukraine in 2025, including the purchase of critical Patriot interceptors and other US-made weapons.

Speaking at a Turning Point USA event in Athens, Georgia on Tuesday, USVice President JD Vance said that he was proud of Washington cutting off funding to Ukraine amid Russia’s all-out war.

“And I still believe that, obviously, and it’s one of the things I’m proudest that we’ve done in this administration is we’ve told Europe that if you want to buy weapons you can, but the United States is not buying weapons and sending them to Ukraine anymore,” Vance said.

The White House’s number two has been among the most vocal critics of aiding Ukraine within the Trump administration.

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