Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara said early Wednesday that Ukraine is working to conclude contracts for the supply of around 1,000 missiles for U.S.-designed Patriot air defense systems, with assistance from its allies and through a loan from the European Union.
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Speaking at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Khmara said most of the missiles would not be delivered for several years, and called for urgent assistance in the meantime.
In remarks later published by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Khmara said Ukraine was asking its Western partners to provide additional air defense missiles from their existing stocks in exchange for improving the performance of missiles under contracts already signed with Kyiv.
He added that Ukraine was facing financial constraints due to a $27 billion funding shortfall for drone supplies.
A ministry summary of the meeting said Khmara presented a plan for Ukraine's war management that is already being implemented, along with a list of what Kyiv considers to be the biggest threats posed by Moscow.
Khmara said Russia was making no strategic gains along the 1,200-kilometer front line, but that Moscow was compensating for its battlefield failures by “terrorizing Ukrainians.”
Russia resumed near-continuous drone and missile attacks on Kyiv on Tuesday after a brief pause linked to a visit by U.S. negotiators.
The developments come amid escalating reciprocal attacks between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian forces have been using drones to target Russian oil refineries, military infrastructure and sites deep inside Russian territory.
Moscow, meanwhile, has intensified its heavy air and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kyiv, as well as areas in the east of the country, at times using ballistic missiles, according to Ukrainian officials.
