Ukraine urges US for Patriot PAC-3 missiles as winter approaches

At a Christian Science Monitor event, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, said Kyiv is negotiating with the Pentagon for a licence to manufacture Patriot PAC-3 missiles domestically, a deal that may require 12 months to five years to finalize. Parallel talks aim at a long-term purchase of the interceptors, potentially allowing Ukraine to exchange its place in the production line with another customer.

Representatives from Raytheon have already been to Ukraine, and Lockheed Martin is arranging to send specialists to help with the system. Stefanishyna highlighted the recent surge of Russian ballistic missile strikes, noting 30 to 40 missiles have hit Ukrainian territory over the past two nights. She stressed that while Ukraine can defend against drones, it lacks an effective shield against these missiles, which Russia is rapidly increasing. The appeal for missiles comes as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy seeks renewed cease-fire talks and a possible visit by U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Kyiv.