Ukraine Eyes 27 U.S. Air Defense Systems, Zelenskyy Says
Ukraine plans to purchase 27 U.S.-made Patriot air defense systems to reinforce its protection.
The Gaze reports this, citing an interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Guardian.
The statement came amid intensified Russian missile and drone strikes that have once again targeted Ukraine’s energy grid, causing widespread power outages across multiple regions. During the interview at the Mariinsky Palace, the lights reportedly went out twice.
“These are our living conditions,” Zelenskyy remarked with a wry smile after backup generators kicked in. “It’s normal. We have fluctuations with electricity in Kyiv, like everywhere else.”
The president accused Vladimir Putin of ordering “terrorist attacks” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure aimed at breaking civilian morale. “He cannot create pressure in our society in any other way,” Zelenskyy said.
The president confirmed that Kyiv is negotiating with American defense manufacturers to acquire 27 Patriot batteries.
Zelenskyy underscored that Washington remains one of Kyiv’s most important strategic partners, regardless of political changes in the United States.
“We are not enemies of America. We are friends. So why should we be afraid?” Zelenskyy said. “The United States has been a strategic partner of Ukraine for many years.”
The president also urged European allies to provide Ukraine with their existing Patriot systems to help bridge the immediate gap.
Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to Western partners for more modern air defense capabilities to counter Russia’s large-scale missile and drone barrages that have devastated power plants, substations, and civilian infrastructure since early October.
When asked whether the EU and the UK were doing enough to assist Ukraine ahead of the winter, Zelenskyy replied: “It’s never enough. It’s enough when the war ends. And enough when Putin understands that he has to stop.”
He emphasized maintaining “warm relations” with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and said Kyiv remains in “constant contact” with London.
With U.S. President Donald Trump ruling out direct military involvement, France and the United Kingdom have pledged to send troops as part of a future peace stabilization mission.
When asked whether he would like British soldiers to deploy earlier, for instance, along Ukraine’s border with Belarus, Zelenskyy responded: “Of course. We’ve asked for many things – weapons, EU and NATO membership among them.”
However, he stressed that deploying foreign forces during active hostilities must be handled cautiously.
“Leaders are afraid of their societies. They don’t want to get involved in the war,” Zelenskyy said, warning that excessive pressure from Kyiv could risk “losing financial and military support from our partners.”
Ukraine has been working closely with the United States and other allies to secure additional Patriot systems, which remain among the most advanced tools for intercepting Russian ballistic and cruise missiles. Each battery can cost over $1 billion, underscoring the West’s critical role in sustaining its defense.
As The Gaze previously reported, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has reinforced its Patriot component within the national air defense system, with support from Germany.
Read more on The Gaze: Western Air Defense in Ukraine: How Patriot, IRIS-T, and NASAMS Changed the Battlefield