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Ukraine Seeks 300 Patriot Missiles for Winter While Expanding SAMP/T and FREYJA Programs
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Ukraine is seeking 300 additional Patriot interceptor missiles for the winter as it works to strengthen its air and missile defenses, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the meeting with press on August 22.
According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s Air Force has requested 360 Patriot missiles, but securing that quantity remains difficult given annual production levels. Kyiv is therefore working with partner countries to identify additional supplies and hopes the United States could provide a small share of its existing stockpile.
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“I wanted to find 300 missiles for the Patriots for the winter package. The request from our Air Force is 360. But when 600 are produced a year, 360 is not easy. We are working with countries on additional possibilities,” Zelenskyy said. “I would very much like to believe that we can find the key to some small percentage of US stocks—say, 5% or 10%. And we are ready to pay for these supplies. In other words, America could replenish its stock, and we could get through the winter.”
He argued that a US political decision to provide the missiles could significantly strengthen Ukraine’s ability to protect lives while also contributing to diplomatic efforts.
Zelenskyy noted Ukraine is simultaneously working to expand its other anti-ballistic capabilities, including the French-Italian SAMP/T system and the European FREYJA program.
The president said he had recently held an almost two-hour conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, covering issues ranging from diplomatic negotiations to air defense.
“First, we expect new air defense radars from the French side—we will receive them in the fall. Second, we expect one system that should also arrive in the fall, and one more additional system—everything there depends on production,” Zelenskyy said.
As with Patriot systems, however, Zelenskyy identified interceptor availability as a major constraint for SAMP/T.
“The problem with SAMP/T is the missiles. In principle, it is the same problem with quantity as with the Patriots. The Aster 30 is the missile we need; it is the one we use in SAMP/T air defense systems. There are few Asters, although they are being produced,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine plans to sign additional agreements in September for the production of more Aster missiles. Zelenskyy said Kyiv also hopes to expand production through licensing agreements with France.
“We hope that everything will be finalized in documents with France and that this year we will receive licenses to produce three types of French weapons in Ukraine. I am grateful to President Macron and France for their readiness to cooperate very substantively in this area,” Zelenskyy said.
On Patriot ammunition specifically, Zelenskyy said he had reached an agreement with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on 600 PAC-2 missiles for delivery in 2027 and 2028.
Ukraine is also negotiating separately with the United States. According to Zelenskyy, the US is expected to significantly increase production beginning in the second half of 2027, but Kyiv is seeking additional missiles before that expansion takes effect.
“Unfortunately, that takes time. That is why we continue talking with them now about the volumes we need—in fact, they have those quantities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said the FREYJA anti-ballistic missile project has moved from political discussions among European leaders to the technical stage, with companies beginning practical work on the initiative.
“The project has now moved from a positive reaction from leaders and a willingness to work to the technical level. Companies are beginning to actually work in this direction. One direction is the European one—our joint FREYJA project with Europe. We have very high hopes for this program. Another is Raytheon, and we are discussing the possibility of building a Ukrainian missile for the Patriot system. They have a positive attitude toward this idea. They selected a company that could do it—Fire Point,” the president stated.
According to Zelenslyy, he met with Raytheon representatives in the United States and agreed to move forward with the project.
“We agreed that we are moving forward with this project. After that, they held their first technical meeting with the Ukrainian side regarding the details. Now we will wait for their response. I think the answer will come in the coming weeks,” Zelenskyy said.
The expected response should provide greater clarity on the project’s timeframe and whether the proposed Ukrainian Patriot interceptor can ultimately be developed, Zelenskyy added.
The proposed Patriot interceptor project forms part of Ukraine’s broader effort to develop additional anti-ballistic capabilities alongside European partners. Ten countries are participating in the FREYJA integrated air and ballistic missile defense initiative, which has entered an active implementation phase.
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