According to Zelensky, Ukraine receives significantly fewer Patriot interceptor missiles from its partners than last year. Deliveries have reportedly fallen to about a third of the 2025 level. There are agreements with the United States for monthly shipments, but according to the president, the quantities are insufficient to protect Ukraine against Russian attacks.
Therefore, Kyiv wants to produce a larger part of its air defense itself. The United States has, according to Zelensky, given permission to manufacture Patriot missiles in Ukraine. However, this is not a quick solution. The president said it could take at least a year before such production actually gets underway.
Own Variant
Additionally, the Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point is working with nine European countries on its own anti-missile rocket, the FP7, comparable to the Patriot. The goal is to perform a first successful interception by mid-2027. Ukrainian rocket production still partly depends on foreign components, which may complicate large-scale manufacturing.
Promotion
In the short term, Ukraine therefore remains reliant on foreign deliveries. European funds can be used for this. If necessary air defense or other weapons are not available in Ukraine or the European Union, they can also be purchased in non-EU countries. The preference remains with Ukrainian and European producers.
Turkish Delivery
The European Union has allocated 8.5 billion euros for Ukrainian defense this year. An important new supplier could be Turkey. A planned arms deal worth approximately 280 million dollars includes twelve M270 rocket launchers and seventy ATACMS missiles. Additionally, it involves 47,000 artillery shells and more than two thousand rockets or cluster munitions from Turkish stocks.
US Approval
US approval is required for the Turkish sale because the weapons are of US origin. Washington has informed Congress about the planned transaction. This allows Turkey not only to supply Ukraine with additional ammunition but also missiles and launcher systems that are part of the same American weapons system.
At the same time, Ukraine is trying to pressure Russia with its own attacks. Zelensky has expressed satisfaction with the results of a 40-day Ukrainian campaign against Russian logistical infrastructure and economic targets. Thus, several avenues run in parallel: more foreign deliveries, European funding, new purchases, and expansion of Ukrainian missile production.