Zelenskyy sets one-week deadline for progress on Patriot air defence deal

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded faster progress on securing additional Patriot air defence systems, warning officials that delays in finalising the agreement could lead to personnel changes.

In a statement on Telegram following a high-level meeting on air defence procurement, Zelenskyy said Ukraine already has a political agreement to purchase Patriot systems but that implementation is being held up at financial, legal and technical stages.

He said representatives from the defence ministry, foreign ministry, national security and defence council, and the presidential office attended the meeting, adding that accelerating the contract process was a “clear responsibility” of the officials involved.

Funds from the €90bn European support package for Ukraine, along with other financial resources, should be used more efficiently to strengthen the country’s air defence capabilities, he said.

Zelenskyy also criticised delays in completing legal preparations for the deal, saying key procedural steps had not yet been finalised.

He set a one-week deadline for all preparatory work and requested a progress report on Friday, warning that failure to advance the agreement would result in “serious personnel decisions”.

By Aghakazim Guliyev