Ukraine is set to receive a critical shipment of Patriot anti-aircraft missiles from Europe in the coming weeks.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has secured roughly 30 of the latest PAC-3 interceptors from European allies, with Germany adding five from its own Bundeswehr stockpiles.
The total package of about 35 missiles is expected to bolster Kyiv’s strained air defense capabilities, sources told SPIEGEL.
The German Federal Ministry of Defense confirmed the planned delivery but declined to provide exact numbers or a timeline, citing security concerns.
The ministry said it had successfully convinced European partners to contribute additional PAC-3 missiles “close to the planned target.”
Earlier, at a meeting of Ukraine supporters ahead of the Munich Security Conference, Pistorius proposed that Germany would provide five PAC-3 missiles if other European countries supplied 30 more.
Non-binding commitments from nations including the Netherlands have now been confirmed.
Despite four years of full-scale Russian invasion, Ukraine has received only around 600 advanced Patriot interceptors, Ukrainian officials told The New York Times.
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his advisers have repeatedly called on Western partners to provide additional systems as Russian missile strikes continue to target cities and critical infrastructure.
Patriot systems remain among the few platforms capable of reliably intercepting advanced ballistic missiles, but the interceptors are expensive and scarce.
Each PAC-3 missile costs over $3 million, and global production is limited. Only about 620 of the most advanced interceptors were delivered worldwide in 2025 – a record high – but demand has surged due to escalating conflicts.
During recent US-Israeli operations against Iranian drones and ballistic missiles, Middle Eastern countries reportedly fired more than 800 Patriot interceptors in the opening days, Zelensky said.
Facing limited supplies, Ukraine has increasingly relied on alternative defenses against cheaper threats, including Shahed drones used by Russia. These measures include electronic warfare systems, machine guns, rockets from F-16 jets, and domestically developed interceptor drones.
Zelensky warned in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that rising tensions in the Middle East could further affect Ukraine’s access to air defense systems.
He said Kyiv is ready to share its drone and missile defense expertise with Middle Eastern partners but stressed it cannot export weapons that remain scarce at home.
The Ukrainian president suggested a potential reciprocal arrangement: additional Patriot missiles for Kyiv in exchange for Ukraine’s drone interception capabilities for partners.