Ukraine wants to buy at least 10 Patriot missile defense systems from the United States to shield against Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.
Ukraine wants to buy at least 10 Patriot missile defense systems from the United States to shield against Russian attacks, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Thursday.
The Ukrainian leader said he had made a request to US counterpart Donald Trump, who promised to "work on it".
"Ukraine is ready to purchase at least 10 systems. I told President Trump about this minimum during our phone conversation," Zelensky told a press conference in Kyiv.
"He told me that America would work on it. So far, I have no other information," he added.
The Patriot missile defense system is designed to counter and destroy incoming short-range ballistic missiles, advanced aircraft, and cruise missiles. Photo: Jason Cutshaw/US ArmyKyiv has regularly pleaded for allies to provide more air defenses, warning it could face a shortage as it battles daily Russian attacks.
The Patriot is the most expensive single weapon system that the United States has supplied to Ukraine, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The total cost amounts to around $1.1 billion, $400 million for the system and $690 million for the missiles, it has estimated.
