Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appealed to US President Donald Trump for additional air defence systems and interceptor missiles as Russia continues to threaten fresh attacks on Ukraine.
In a letter addressed to Trump and the US Congress, seen by Reuters, Zelenskyy urged Washington to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defence capabilities, particularly against Russian ballistic missiles which he described as Moscow’s “last major advantage on the battlefield”.
The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv is prepared to purchase the Patriot missile systems and interceptor missiles it urgently requires.
Ukraine currently relies on US-made Patriot systems as its only effective defence against Russian ballistic missile strikes.
However, Zelenskyy warned that supplies of interceptor missiles remain critically low, adding that the ongoing conflict involving Iran could further strain global military resources.
Since Trump returned to office, Ukraine has been obtaining Patriot missiles through NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, funded by European allies.
Despite this, Zelenskyy said the current rate of deliveries is no longer sufficient to match the scale of threats faced by Ukraine.
“For us, as a nation fighting for survival, there is hardly anything more painful than seeing Patriot batteries without missiles loaded,” he reportedly stated in the letter.
Speaking during his nightly address, Zelenskyy stressed that the situation now requires immediate and decisive action from the United States.
He said improving Ukraine’s protection against ballistic missile attacks is key to making diplomatic negotiations possible, arguing that Russia will avoid meaningful diplomacy as long as it maintains military advantages through missile strikes.
According to Ukraine’s air force, Russia launched 30 ballistic missiles during its latest large-scale attack on Sunday, with only 11 successfully intercepted.
Zelenskyy also claimed Russia fired two nuclear-capable Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the assault, with one striking the Kyiv region while another reportedly landed in Russian-occupied territory in Donetsk.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has now entered its fifth year, with Kyiv continuing to push for stronger Western military support amid escalating attacks.
