Not enough anti-ballistic missile production in the US: Zelensky
Kyiv, June 1
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that there is not enough anti-ballistic missile production in the US.
"There is not enough anti-ballistic missile production in the United States, and this could lead to a crisis in different parts of the world. Russia is ramping up its internal production of ballistic missiles," Zelensky wrote on Sunday on social media platform X.
He mentioned that he also sent a letter to the White House and to the US Congress.
"As many as 60-65 anti-ballistic missiles per month, compared to current challenges, is nothing. It is no secret, and Russia knows this. We need to expand the production. I asked the previous US administration, and I am asking today's administration to give Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missiles," Zelensky added.
"We can increase the production of Patriot missiles. This will help us. This will help the Middle East and any other country that the United States decides to help. Until we produce a European anti-ballistic system, we will need support from the United States," the Ukrainian President highlighted, sharing his conversation from an interview.
He said that Ukraine is trying to intercept all Russian drones, even when some of them are going in the direction of other countries, like Romania, Moldova, Poland, or the Baltic states.
"I think that we need to find a diplomatic way - to sit down and talk - before next winter. But this depends on internal pressure on Putin from his society as well as American and European sanctions pressure on Russia," Zelensky noted, saying that Russia started to lose the initiative on the battlefield in December 2025.
He also raised questions about who would represent Europe in the negotiations.
"There is an E3 format - the United Kingdom, France, and Germany. I don't know if this is the best format, but I think these countries could be negotiators from Europe. We also have reliable Nordic partners. Turkey always wanted to be a mediator, and we had some successes in bringing back our POWs (prisoners of war) with their help," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is a wake-up call for the US and NATO. If Russia is indeed ramping up production of ballistic missiles, the West needs to step up. But I find it ironic that Zelensky is asking for licenses to produce Patriot missiles—why aren't American defence contractors already scaling up? Seems like bureaucratic delays are hurting allies. From an Indian perspective, we've seen similar issues with our own missile programs like the Akash system.
Zelensky's point about needing a diplomatic solution before winter is sensible—war fatigue is real. But I'm skeptical about the E3 format (UK, France, Germany) representing Europe. Why not include India as a mediator? We have strong ties with both Russia and the West. Also, the figure of 60-65 missiles per month seems absurdly low for current threats—even India produces more than that annually with our BrahMos and Prithvi systems. 😤
To be brutally honest, Zelensky's complaints about missile production sound like he's shifting blame to the US rather than addressing Ukraine's own domestic industrial capacity. India diversified our defence procurement precisely to avoid dependence on one country. Also, mentioning Russia losing initiative since December 2025 seems over-optimistic—wars don't end that quickly. We need more realism from both sides. 🇮🇳
Zelensky's call for more Patriot production is understandable but also highlights the inequity in global defence capabilities. India has been advocating for self-reliance in defence for years—look at our success with the Agni missile series. Maybe the West should learn from India's approach to indigenous production rather than relying on supply chains. Also, including Turkey as a mediator? Interesting, but India would be better positioned given our ties to both Russia and Ukraine. 😊
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.