Rubio says US, NATO seek more Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine
The United States is working with NATO partners to locate additional Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on May 20 during Senate testimony on the State Department's budget.
Ukraine has consistently warned that its current air defense capacity is insufficient to counter the scale of Russia's intensified missile and drone attacks.
"The U.S. is looking for Patriot batteries to be able to transfer from other NATO nations into Ukrainian hands," Rubio told lawmakers, adding that no country is willing to give up these systems, and the U.S. cannot produce them quickly enough.
Kyiv has requested more Patriots to shield cities and critical infrastructure.
In an April 13 interview with CBS News, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine is ready to buy 10 U.S.-made Patriot systems for $15 billion.
"We will find the money and pay for everything," he said.
Despite Kyiv's appeals, U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the request, accusing Zelensky of "always looking to purchase missiles" and falsely blaming Ukraine for provoking the war.
The Patriot is a high-precision, U.S.-made surface-to-air missile platform capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic threats. Zelensky has repeatedly said Ukraine needs at least seven more systems to defend its most at-risk regions.
The New York Times reported on May 4, citing unnamed U.S. officials, that a Patriot system currently based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine following refurbishment. Western allies are also reportedly reviewing whether to reallocate systems from Germany or Greece.
Kyiv currently operates eight Patriot systems, though only six are functional, with two undergoing repairs, according to the publication.
Ukraine accepted a U.S.-proposed 30-day unconditional ceasefire back in March.
Moscow has continued its large-scale drone and missile strikes, including the largest drone assault of the war on May 18, when 273 drones entered Ukrainian airspace.
Daria Shulzhenko
