Zelenskyy: Ukraine is ready to buy 10 Patriot systems from the US for $15bn
- Svitlana Ivanchenko
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13:49, 14 April, 2025
The Patriot system. Illustrative photo: WikipediaPresident of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced his readiness to buy ten Patriot air defence systems from the United States for $15 billion, and European partners are ready to help with financing.
He said this in an interview with CBS and noted that Ukraine has not received the additional Patriot systems promised at the NATO summit in Washington.
«I respect the choice of the United States, but when the United States did not give us such systems or did not sell them, we are ready for any format, the question is not about money,» the president said.
According to him, some European partners are ready to finance the purchase of these systems.
«But the US says there is no possibility today. But at the same time, they are selling such systems, for example, to Israel. I'm not saying that Israel doesn't need them, but if we are partners, can't we find a way to protect Ukraine?» Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
He said that he had outlined various possible options in a conversation with President Donald Trump.
«There is the Patriot system, and you have a lot of them, and you have production, there are several steps to protect Ukraine. Step number one: one system that costs one and a half billion dollars, we are ready to buy at least ten systems to close some cities, only civilians, city centres, where people are crowded. This is 15 billion. We are ready to pay this 15 billion. We will find this money, and we will pay everything,» he said.
The second option, he said, is licences to manufacture the systems and the corresponding missiles, and he has asked the current and previous US administrations for this.
Zelenskyy also mentioned countries in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia where American Patriot systems are deployed and where there are no military operations that could be transferred to Ukraine.
«We were even ready to lease them. There are many formats to ensure this. We need a desire,» Volodymyr Zelenskyy added .
Earlier, Dutch Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans said that the Netherlands would provide Ukraine with three Patriot air defence missile launchers to strengthen its air defence.