Zelenskyy: Ukraine needs 10-12 Patriot systems to fully secure its skies

Ukraine requires 10–12 additional Patriot systems to fully secure its airspace, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated during a meeting with Iratxe García Pérez, leader of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament.

"Everyone understands that an additional 10-12 Patriot systems for Ukraine will ensure life for us and make the war for Putin meaningless. If the skies are protected, no guided bombs or ballistic missiles will hit Ukraine's civilian infrastructure – hospitals, schools or universities," the president said.

Zelenskyy noted that one Patriot system costs $1.5 billion. Allies could allocate $30 billion from frozen Russian assets to "completely, definitively" secure Ukraine's skies.

In this case, guided aerial bombs, missiles, and even ballistic weapons would no longer pose a threat to civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, he said.

However, Zelenskyy emphasized that NATO membership remains the best strategic security guarantee for Ukraine.