Zelenskyy: 5% of US Patriot missile stock can help Ukraine survive winter

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that receiving or purchasing just 5% of the United States' Patriot missile stockpile could help Ukraine withstand the coming winter and save many lives.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine currently has only about one-tenth of the air defence missiles it needs to counter intensified Russian attacks.

He said 10% of the United States' current Patriot missile stock would be enough to intercept all Russian ballistic missiles targeting Ukraine, while 5% would be sufficient to help the country get through the winter.

"If the US sells us 5%, we will survive the winter and save people's lives. If 10%, we will destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. I have 1%," Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian president said securing additional air defence missiles had become a daily priority, requiring extensive diplomatic efforts and phone calls with international partners.

"This is how I live every day: from 1% to 5%," Zelenskyy said, adding that he had been trying to negotiate missile supplies through various arrangements. He said some of the efforts could not be publicly disclosed, although they were not illegal.

Zelenskyy also said there was still uncertainty over whether the US would allow Ukraine to manufacture its own Patriot-type missiles.

He said he hoped to secure such permission, describing it as one of the biggest challenges he had faced since the beginning of the war.

US President Donald Trump indicated about a month ago that Ukraine could potentially receive a licence to manufacture Patriot-type missiles, but later said the arrangement might not go ahead.

The Atlantic has also reported that US manufacturers of Patriot systems have been reluctant to grant Ukraine production licences, amid concerns that Kyiv could improve the missiles and develop cheaper and faster production methods.