Zelensky says US supplies only 12 Patriot interceptors a month in 2026 against a need of about 150

In brief

• Zelensky says Ukraine has received about 12 Patriot interceptors a month from the US in 2026, against a need of about 150.
• Kyiv has been waiting nearly a month for Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on Patriot and NASAMS missiles.
• Ukraine used 35 Patriot missiles in October so far, and has found 23 more interceptors through other channels.

Stalled deliveries and a pending signature

Zelensky told reporters that throughout 2026 the United States has delivered roughly 12 Patriot interceptors per month, a shortfall he tied to the war in the Middle East. He said Ukraine's requirement is about 150 interceptors monthly to shoot down ballistic missiles. (В этом году США поставляют Украине в среднем 12 ракет для Patriot в месяц — Зеленский – NV) ("Беремо 12, а витрачаємо 35": Зеленський відверто розповів про катастрофічний дефіцит ракет до Patriot – TSN)

Zelensky said Kyiv has been waiting for almost a month for Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriot and NASAMS systems, and that he had instructed his team to raise the issue again with Washington. (Зеленский: уже почти месяц ждем подписи главы Пентагона Хегсета по ракетам для Patriot и NASAMS – Zerkalo) (Ukraine's been waiting almost a month for Hegseth to sign off on Patriot missiles, Zelenskyy says – Business Insider) («Чекаємо на підпис Гегсета майже місяць»: Зеленський зробив тривожну заяву про дефіцит ракет до Patriot – TSN) Business Insider reported that a senior Pentagon official said there had been no change in department policy on intelligence sharing or on capabilities enabled for Europe, though the reason for the hold on the transfers remained unclear.

Shortfall against monthly use

Zelensky said Ukraine used 35 Patriot missiles in October so far, and that the 12 delivered by the United States did not cover this consumption. He said 23 more interceptors had been found through other channels. (Зеленський розповів, скільки в середньому на місяць Україна отримує ракет до Patriot у 2026-му – Європейська правда) (Зеленський: Україна в середньому отримує 12 ракет до Patriot на місяць, а цього місяця використала 35 – Українська правда)

Programme and European funding

Most interceptors for Ukraine's air defence, including for Patriot batteries, arrive through NATO's PURL initiative, under which allies buy US weapons and transfer them to Kyiv. Zelensky said Europe had paid for the NASAMS package and that the mechanism had largely worked, though Patriot missiles remained the main problem.

Wider context

Zelensky said Ukraine had raised the matter with the United States and other partners holding Patriot PAC-2 and PAC-3 stocks, and that a Ramstein meeting was being prepared for November. (Zelensky: Hegseth’s approval for Patriot missiles has been pending for nearly a month – Ukrinform) Ukraine's air force spokesperson had earlier said hundreds of PAC-3 interceptors were needed and that only about 10 remained in stock as of 7 October.

Read also

• Ukraine Says Patriot Interceptor Approval From Hegseth Has Been Pending Nearly a Month