President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky sent a letter to Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress requesting additional Patriot PAC-3 missiles and systems [1].

The request comes as Ukraine struggles to maintain its air defenses against ongoing Russian strikes. A failure to secure more interceptors could leave major cities and critical infrastructure vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.

Zelensky said in the correspondence that Ukraine faces a critical shortage of anti-ballistic missiles [1, 2]. The request specifically targets the PAC-3 variant of the Patriot system, which is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles in their final phase of flight.

While Ukraine has successfully managed other threats, the ballistic missile gap remains a primary concern for the administration in Kyiv. According to reports, Ukraine currently shoots down 90% [2] of Russian drones, but the interception of high-speed ballistic missiles requires a different and more limited set of munitions.

The letter was addressed to both the U.S. Congress and Donald Trump [1]. This outreach highlights the Ukrainian government's effort to secure military commitments regardless of the political landscape in Washington, D.C.

Ukraine continues to rely on Western air defense systems to protect its civilian population, and energy grid. The shortage of interceptors creates a strategic vulnerability that Russian forces may seek to exploit through intensified missile campaigns [1, 2].

“Ukraine faces a critical shortage of anti-ballistic missiles.”

This request underscores the precarious nature of Ukraine's air defense strategy. While the high success rate against drones demonstrates effective low-altitude defense, the specific plea for PAC-3 missiles indicates that the higher-altitude, high-velocity ballistic threat remains the most dangerous gap in their shield. By addressing the request to both Congress and Donald Trump, Zelensky is attempting to ensure continuity of support across different U.S. political factions.