Zelenskyy explains what exactly will help Ukraine survive the winter
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in an interview with CNN, stated a critical shortage of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems and urged the United States to sell Kyiv part of its arsenals.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: V_Zelenskiy_official / Telegram
According to the Ukrainian leader, the intensity of Russian attacks has significantly increased, so urgent assistance from partners is needed to save lives.
“This year we have two and a half times fewer interceptors than we did in 2025. Russia launches twice as many ballistic missiles every month as before,” Zelenskyy emphasized.
He noted that Ukrainians face large-scale strikes several times a month: “Every night there are attacks, and four to five times a month we are subjected to large-scale strikes… These are terrible nights. In fact, these are very heroic, very resilient people. But they are tired.”
To protect the country from destruction and ensure survival through the winter period, Ukraine needs a minimum percentage of American stocks. “If they sell us 5%, we will survive the winter and save people's lives. If they can sell us 10%, we will destroy all Russian ballistic missiles. I have 1%,” explained the head of state.
He admitted that he conducts countless negotiations every day to obtain the necessary weaponry: “This is how I live every day: from 1% to 5%. I have a few months and millions of phone calls… I'm trying to trade something for missiles… I'm doing some things I can't even talk about. It doesn't mean it's outside the law. But I can't talk about it.”
Speaking about the implementation of initiatives for licensing missile production or obtaining supplies, Zelenskyy added: “I hope I succeed. Right now I don't even have 5%, and I don't have that kind of support. And this is a big challenge for me, one of the biggest I've faced since the very beginning of this war.”
Commenting on possible further steps by the Kremlin and threats to other countries, the President of Ukraine noted that Vladimir Putin is looking for ways to achieve a quick victory: “It doesn't matter to him whether this country is in NATO or not. He wants a quick victory, 100% confident that he will win, occupy, destroy or take control.”