‘60 missiles a month is nothing’: Zelensky asks the US to allow the production of Patriot missiles in Ukraine
In an interview with *Face the Nation*, the President said he had sent letters to the White House and the US Congress.
“Insufficient production of anti-ballistic missiles in the US could lead to a crisis in various parts of the world. Russia is ramping up its own production of ballistic missiles,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, the current production rate for Patriot missiles stands at around 60–65 units per month.
“60–65 anti-ballistic missiles a month is nothing compared to the current challenges. This is no secret, and Russia knows it,” he emphasised.
Zelenskyy believes that licensing production in Ukraine would allow for a rapid increase in the output of these critically important interceptors and partially resolve the issue of ammunition shortages for missile defence.
The President stressed that expanding Patriot production could strengthen the security not only of Ukraine but also of other US partners.
“We can increase the production of Patriot missiles. This will help us, help the Middle East and any other country that the United States decides to support,” Zelenskyy stated.
In his view, the world has already faced a new reality where ballistic missiles have become a tool for pressure and blackmail, and the production capabilities of the defence industry are no less important than the air defence systems themselves.
The Patriot system remains the only weapon capable of effectively intercepting most Russian ballistic missiles; these systems protect Ukrainian cities from strikes by Iskander-type missiles and other high-speed targets. However, the production of interceptor missiles lags significantly behind the rate at which such weapons are being used in modern conflicts.
As a reminder, ThePublic previously wrote about whether there is an alternative to the American Patriot air defence systems, and what their key advantage is.
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