Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has made a direct appeal to United States President Donald Trump and the US Congress, warning that his country is in dire need of additional Patriot missile systems because Russia is increasing ballistic missile attacks on Ukrainian cities.
In a five-page letter submitted to the White House and Congress, Zelensky said Ukraine's ability to protect civilians now depends largely on US-made Patriot systems, describing ballistic missiles as one of Moscow's main remaining battlefield advantages.
Ukraine's Ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, told Radio Free Europe (RFE/RL) in an interview on May 27 that Kiev's message on paper was that changes in diplomatic rhetoric have not changed the situation on the ground.
"There may be different diplomatic rhetoric, different diplomatic dynamics, different priorities, but the reality is not changing," she said.
"The reality on the ground is not changing. People are dying," she stressed.
Zelensky wrote in the letter, a copy of which was provided by REL, that while the "fate of many people's lives" is being decided in the war, Patriot systems remain "the most effective defense against any type of Russian ballistic missile."
This call comes at a time when the Trump administration is continuing to avoid large packages of direct military aid to Kiev, relying on the "Priority Requests for Ukraine" (PURL) mechanism, under which NATO allies purchase American weapons systems for Ukraine.
But Zelensky warned that deliveries under this program are not keeping pace with needs on the battlefield.
"The current pace of deliveries through the PURL program is no longer able to match the reality of the threat we face," he wrote.
The Ukrainian president also highlighted the growing global demand for Patriot interceptors amid broader international security pressures and competing demands for US reserves.
"For us, for a nation fighting for survival, there is hardly anything more painful than seeing Patriot batteries without loaded missiles," Zelensky wrote.
In a post on social media on May 27, Zelensky said that, while it may be highly unusual for a foreign leader to address the US president and Congress simultaneously, this situation requires "quick and effective action."
"It is important for America to listen to Ukraine," he added, noting that Russia's war against Ukraine - now in its fifth year - remains a war for existence.
"The sooner we are able to have greater protection against ballistic threats, the sooner we will be able to make diplomacy work," Zelensky wrote.
"As long as Russia continues to rely on missiles, its interest in diplomacy is not genuine," he added.
This call caused rapid reactions in Congress.
Senior Republican lawmaker Joe Wilson told REL that Ukraine remains a key partner in confronting common adversaries.
"Ukrainians are courageously defending their homeland while innovating and standing alongside America against the terrorist regime in Tehran," Wilson said.
"War criminal Putin is killing worshippers in churches and children at play, while openly supplying terrorists in Tehran to kill Americans. He is losing and desperate. Air defense saves lives and Ukraine is a proven partner against terrorism," he added.
REL reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Several congressional offices said their lawmakers had not yet reviewed the letter.
Stefanishyna said that Russia, "in its desperation" and under "great pressure from all sides," is escalating attacks, including missile strikes, cyberwarfare, disinformation campaigns and intimidation efforts against Ukraine and its partners.
The ambassador said that Ukraine's ability to counter ballistic missiles remains almost entirely dependent on the United States.
"The one thing that is solely available to the U.S. government is the ability to intercept ballistic missiles," she said. "And that is a defense capability that we need and the only one that we are really desperate to reach an agreement on with the United States."
She added that Ukraine is ready to finance additional systems and interceptors.
"We will be able to pay for this, without a doubt," she said.
A central argument in Zelensky's letter is that stronger air defenses could help change Moscow's calculations and create space for diplomacy.
"Ballistic missiles are the last major priority for [Russian President Vladimir] Putin," he wrote, warning that Russia would continue to use missile strikes "to avoid diplomacy" if Ukraine fails to counter the threat.
Stefanishyna said Moscow is trying to exploit divisions among Western allies.
"We've seen a lot of radical rhetoric that puts a lot of shades of gray between something that's really black and white, good and bad," she said. "They think they can use that to undermine unity."
She also warned that Russian attacks could intensify further.
"We understand that the darkest time for Russia is coming," she said. "They will become more desperate to kill more Ukrainians."
William B. Taylor Jr., who served as Washington's top diplomat in Kiev during both the George W. Bush presidency and the Trump administration, said Ukraine's need for Patriot systems has become increasingly urgent.
"The need for anti-ballistic missile weapons like Patriots is serious," he told REL on May 27.
"The Ukrainians can shoot down [Russian] drones quite effectively," he said, citing the expanding capabilities of Ukraine's domestic air defenses. "But the problem is ballistic missiles."
Taylor said the global shortage of Patriot interceptors is complicating Ukraine's position.
"Patriots are in short supply all over the world," he said.
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He argued that international pressure on Russia should be increased due to its attacks on civilians.
"Every civilized nation should demand that the Russians stop attacking civilians in Ukraine," Taylor said.
He also added that support for the development of Ukraine's own air defense should remain a priority for Western governments.
The letter marks one of Kiev's most direct appeals yet to the US leadership since the start of the war, underscoring growing concern in Ukraine that delays in air defence deliveries could leave cities increasingly exposed to Russian ballistic missile attacks.
