Zelensky warns Trump's 500 Patriot missiles for Ukraine may not arrive for YEARS while Russia attacks its energy grid daily
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, who had warned this month that Ukraine had nearly run out of Patriot interceptors as Russia struck a Kyiv energy facility on 30 October, blacking out four city districts.Ukrainian emergency service firefighters tackle a blaze in Sumy region as Russia struck energy infrastructure across Ukraine, hitting a Kyiv facility on 30 October and a combined heat and power plant in Shostka the following morning.A fire engine tackles a blaze in the Poltava region as Russia continued attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure daily, striking a Kyiv facility on 30 October and a Shostka heat and power plant the following morning.Norway, Germany and Canada are funding the entire $2.1bn package of 500 Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles, with Volodymyr Zelenskyy warning deliveries may not begin for years.
The $2.1 billion deal covers 500 Patriot PAC-3 MSE interceptor missiles, with Lockheed Martin as principal contractor, and goes to Congress for review. Canada, Germany and Norway will fund the purchase entirely through the US JUMPSTART programme, meaning no American taxpayer money is involved. Zelensky had been pressing the White House for 100 Patriot interceptors per month as a winter support package, warning Russia is striking Ukrainian energy infrastructure every single day.
Zelensky urged the US and allies to hand over missiles already in their own stockpiles and replenish them with this new order later.
Ukraine had waited nearly a month for the Pentagon to sign off on critical missile supplies, with Zelensky publicly naming Defence Secretary Hegseth over the holdup.
Russia killed at least 14 people on a crowded rail platform in Dnipro in a drone strike last Thursday, underlining the daily cost of the delay.
