Zelensky sends letter to Trump for help with missile defence shortages

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has sent a letter to US President Donald Trump warning of a worsening shortage of air defence systems, particularly anti-ballistic missile capabilities, according to the Kyiv Independent.

The appeal comes as Russia escalates large-scale aerial attacks on Ukraine and issues public threats of further long-range strikes on Kyiv, including what Moscow has described as Ukraine’s “decision-making centers.”

“When it comes to air defense against missiles, we rely on our friends. When it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States,” the letter, seen by the Kyiv Independent, states.

Ukrainian officials are increasingly concerned that limited stocks of Patriot interceptors and other Western-supplied systems may be insufficient to withstand continued heavy bombardment. A source familiar with the matter described the situation as “really tough” regarding anti-ballistic defence.

According to officials, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, has been delivering the letter to the White House, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and other members of Congress.

The correspondence also highlights Kyiv’s concerns over delays in weapons procurement under the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme, which enables NATO allies to finance U.S. weapons for Ukraine. The letter says delivery rates are not keeping pace with battlefield demands and urges continued U.S. engagement, particularly for Patriot PAC-3 systems.

“I ask for your help in protecting Ukraine’s skies from Russian missiles,” the letter says, calling on Washington and Congress to support additional air defence supplies to counter ongoing missile attacks.

Recent Russian strikes have intensified pressure on Ukraine’s air defence network. Ukrainian authorities reported that Russian forces launched 90 missiles and around 600 drones in a large-scale overnight assault on May 24.

Zelensky had previously instructed Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk to urgently coordinate with partner countries regarding promised Patriot systems as interceptor stocks declined, following warnings that supplies had reached critical levels.

Moscow has paired its military escalation with public threats of further strikes. On May 25, Russian officials announced plans for additional long-range attacks on Kyiv in response to a Ukrainian strike in occupied Luhansk Oblast, which Russia claimed hit a dormitory while Kyiv said it targeted a drone command facility.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also reportedly told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Moscow was preparing strikes on Ukrainian “decision-making centers,” urging Washington to consider evacuating its embassy in Kyiv.

Zelensky said in his letter that Ukraine’s airspace can still be effectively defended, insisting that “the majority of Russian missiles can be stopped.”

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov