Ukrainian President Zelenskyy acknowledges US approval of 500 Patriot PAC‑3 interceptors amid multi‑year delivery warning

Published on
31 October 2026 – 8:46 GMT+1

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lauded the United States’ “strong decision” to approve a sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, but cautioned that delivery could take years.

The U.S. State Department announced on Friday that Washington had approved a $2.1 billion package of Patriot PAC‑3 interceptors, as Kyiv continues to defend against Russian missile and drone attacks.

Zelenskyy wrote on social media that “500 PAC‑3 interceptors is a substantial number, and very soon—perhaps this winter—they could form a highly effective defence package.”

He added, however, that “deliveries may begin only in a few years.” “We are asking our American partners to find a solution for the time when there is a real danger and a real need to use PAC‑3 interceptors,” he continued.

Earlier this week, Zelenskyy indicated that Kyiv had been waiting nearly a month for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to sign off on a batch of missiles for both the Patriot and NASAMS air‑defence systems.

Kyiv has long advocated for additional interceptors to help its forces repel Russian strikes, and the fast‑approaching winter heightens that necessity. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid during winter warfare, seeking to undermine the country’s resolve.

Depleting interceptor stocks have already prompted Russia to intensify missile attacks in recent months, raising concerns that the trend could culminate in an especially harsh winter for Ukrainians.

Zelenskyy said overnight, “The United States, our European partners, and other partners worldwide have sufficient stocks of PAC‑3 interceptors in their warehouses. Providing them to Ukraine now—during the winter of 2026‑2027—and replenishing our partners’ arsenals later, in the following years, through production already contracted and paid for by Ukraine and our partners would be the right approach.”

The Patriot missile system is one of the world’s most advanced air‑defence platforms, capable of countering a range of threats, from incoming aircraft to ballistic missiles.

Ukraine obtains most of its Patriot systems via NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) initiative, which streamlines the acquisition of military equipment and munitions from the United States by allied and partner nations.

According to NATO, as of June 2026 allies had pledged over $6 billion in defence equipment funding for Ukraine through this program.

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