Ukraine demands 700 Patriot missiles for winter

Over four months of the winter season, Ukraine used approximately seven hundred Patriot interceptor missiles, as clarified by European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrzejz Kubilius in an interview with Euronews. According to him, intercepting a single ballistic missile often requires multiple Patriot systems, and Russia launched about nine hundred ballistic missiles toward Ukraine in 2025.

Kubilius noted that demand for air defense missiles, particularly Patriot, has increased due to escalation in the Middle East. There, allies have already spent over 800 American missiles in three days—more than Ukraine used throughout the entire winter. This highlights the global shortage of industrial production capacity.

In response to these figures, the European Commissioner called on Europe to accelerate its own missile production to meet Ukraine's needs and ensure its own reserves. In his view, current Western production capacities "cannot meet global demand."

In 2025, Lockheed Martin in the United States produced about six hundred PAC-3 units, roughly corresponding to the volume used by Ukrainians over the winter.

Context

Patriot missiles are key air defense assets for the country, and their supply amid military conflicts has become a strategic issue in the international arms market.