Numbers Turn Against Ukraine - Zelensky Appeals Directly to US

Zelensky appeals to the US to sell Ukraine 5% of its Patriot missile stock to get through the winter, or 10% to destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. He notes that Ukraine currently has only one percent, and that this year's interceptor stock is 2.5 times smaller than in 2025, while Russia has twice as many ballistic missiles per month.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has directly appealed to the United States to sell Kyiv part of its Patriot missile stockpile, amid a dramatic depletion of Ukraine's interceptor missiles against increased Russian launches. In remarks quoted in the article, Zelensky said: "Sell us 5 percent, we'll get through the winter and save lives. If you can sell us 10 percent, we'll destroy all the Russians' ballistic missiles. I have one percent." He added that the situation has worsened significantly compared to last year: "This year we have two and a half times fewer interceptor missiles than we had in 2025. Russia has twice as many ballistic missiles each month than before." The Ukrainian president said that obtaining additional interceptor missiles has become one of his main occupations, and that he is trying to reach agreements with Ukraine's allies and offer various considerations for missiles. He hinted at actions he cannot disclose: "I'm doing certain things that I can't even talk about. That doesn't mean they're illegal, I just can't reveal them." The article does not include an American response to the request.