Zelensky to Axios: Ukraine needs missile interceptors to head off win…

Zelensky Discusses Patriot Interceptor Needs and Production Plans in Axios Interview

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated in an interview with Axios on Tuesday that he requested an emergency winter package of Patriot air defense interceptors from President Trump to counter Russian strikes on energy facilities. Ukraine’s existing interceptor stocks have been largely exhausted, limiting the ability to intercept incoming ballistic missiles. This shortfall contributed to the inability to prevent recent strikes on Kyiv.

Without additional interceptors before winter, Russian missile attacks could damage power plants and interrupt heating supplies for millions of residents. Zelensky and Trump discussed U.S. licenses for Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors during the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month. The licenses would aim to increase overall output and lessen reliance on existing American inventories. Zelensky said Trump approved proceeding with the licenses following their meeting.

After the White House session, Zelensky met with representatives from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to review production options. Even with licenses in place, large-scale manufacturing would require one to five years. Zelensky described the delay as unacceptable, stating that interceptors are needed immediately and requesting 300 units by winter. He reported that Trump indicated willingness to assist while noting competing U.S. requirements for the systems.

Zelensky said Russia launches 30 to 40 ballistic missiles in each major strike on Ukraine and conducts three to five such strikes per month. These figures correspond to patterns documented in recent open-source reporting. Ukraine has offered to share military technology or expertise in exchange for the interceptors.

Zelensky and U.S. defense firms are also examining the conversion of Ukrainian-made ballistic missiles into interceptors with performance comparable to the Patriot. He described this approach as faster and lower in cost. On the battlefield, ground operations remain at a stalemate. Ukrainian drone and missile strikes have targeted oil facilities and infrastructure inside Russia, leading to reported fuel shortages and domestic criticism of the war effort. Zelensky said these developments have improved relations with the Trump administration.

“Our relations are much better and more constructive. Not so emotional like it was. And I think that it’s good that it’s better,” he said. Zelensky briefed Trump on the precision strikes, stating they avoided civilian casualties while reducing fuel supplies in Russian-occupied Crimea and affecting Russian military morale. “People who are there and the Russian soldiers can’t live without diesel and petrol. So of course, immediately in the polls, support for the war decreased in Russia,” he said.

U.S. diplomatic efforts between Russia and Ukraine have received less attention since the start of U.S. involvement in separate regional conflicts. Envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff remain in contact with both Russian and Ukrainian representatives but have focused primarily on other priorities. Zelensky said one result of his meeting with Trump is a planned visit by the two envoys to Kyiv within the next two weeks—their first trip to Ukraine after several visits to Russia.

Zelensky intends to review proposals for restarting peace talks and to allow the envoys to observe conditions directly. He noted that Kushner and Witkoff continue to seek a ceasefire to create room for negotiations, though he expressed doubt that Russian President Vladimir Putin would accept a pause in fighting. Zelensky said he remains open to resuming talks despite recent battlefield developments.

He added that Putin appears to be preparing further escalation and may seek to draw in other regional actors to secure a more straightforward outcome for domestic audiences. Zelensky stated that Russia continues to receive weapons from Iran and is constructing facilities to support up to 30,000 North Korean troops. North Korean personnel have been deployed exclusively to Russia’s Kursk region since late 2024 rather than to areas inside Ukraine. Zelensky also said North Korea is providing ballistic missiles and additional arms to Russia and that Putin is taking preparatory steps toward mobilizing another 500,000 troops. “This is what we see,” he said. “It’s not the signal that he wants to stop the war.”

The interview covered both immediate military requirements and longer-term diplomatic options without indicating any shift in Ukraine’s overall position on negotiations.