Ukraine has only one-tenth of the Patriot interceptor missiles that it believes it urgently needs from the United States to counter Russia’s increasing use of ballistic missiles, Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with CNN.

The Ukrainian president described a daily struggle to secure more Patriot interceptors, saying he spends his days making “millions of phone calls” and negotiating with allies, some aspects of which, he said, he cannot disclose publicly.

Russian ballistic missile attacks have increased significantly in recent weeks, with Kyiv coming under particularly intense bombardment as Moscow takes advantage of Ukraine’s nearly depleted stock of Patriot interceptors.

According to Zelensky, if the United States were to provide Ukraine with an amount equal to 10% of its current Patriot stockpile, Kyiv would be able to counter all Russian ballistic missile attacks. Even 5%, he said, would be enough for the country to get through the winter.

“This year we have two and a half times fewer interceptor missiles than we did in 2025,” he said. “Russia is using twice as many ballistic missiles per month as it did previously.”

He stressed that Russian attacks are now almost a daily occurrence. “Every night we are attacked, and four or five times a month we face massive attacks… terrible nights. The people are truly heroic, truly resilient. But they are tired.”

“If they sell us 5%, we will get through the winter”

Zelensky was particularly clear about the scale of the problem. “If they sell us 5%, we will get through the winter and save lives. If they can sell us 10%, we will shoot down every Russian ballistic missile. I have 1%,” he said.

The global shortage of interceptor missiles has worsened because of the U.S. war with Iran, during which American forces and Gulf countries used dozens of such missiles to defend against Iranian ballistic missile attacks and inexpensive drones.

This shortage is hitting Ukraine particularly hard, with major cities on some nights appearing almost defenseless against Russian strikes.

“This is my life every day”

The Ukrainian president also offered a rare glimpse into his personal effort to secure more interceptors.

“This is what I live every day: from 1% to 5%. I have spent months making millions of phone calls… I am trying to exchange things for missiles. I am doing certain things I cannot even talk about. It does not mean they are illegal. I simply cannot disclose them,” he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged that doubts remain as to whether Donald Trump’s commitment to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors domestically will actually be implemented.

On the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump had said that he would allow Ukraine to obtain a license to produce these sophisticated missiles. However, a few days later he appeared less certain about the idea.

Representatives of the Patriot manufacturers have already traveled to Kyiv for discussions, but so far no concrete outcome has been reached.

“I hope I will achieve it,” Zelensky said. “Right now I do not have the 5%, and I do not even have that approval. For me, it is an enormous challenge, one of the greatest since the beginning of this war.”

Pressure on the White House

Zelensky said he has been appealing directly to the White House, through phone calls and messages, and indirectly through allies, asking for increased U.S. assistance with Patriot systems.

However, he declined to provide further details about his recent contacts with the Trump administration.

He confirmed that he recently had a telephone conversation with Vice President J.D. Vance, but declined to comment on a Financial Times report claiming that Vance had asked Ukraine to stop attacks on a Russian oil port in the Black Sea because they were affecting American companies and risked driving up global energy prices.

“Putin does not want to stop the war”

Kyiv has also submitted new proposals as part of the Trump-led peace process, which has appeared to have stalled in recent months.

Zelensky declined to provide details but stressed that greater U.S. involvement is needed.

“We need greater participation from the American side in the peace plan. I am grateful to President Trump’s team for wanting to continue. Putin does not want to stop this war now, and there is not enough pressure on him,” he said.

He also rejected the possibility that Ukraine would cede the territories of Donbas that Russia continues to seek to seize, emphasizing that security guarantees remain fundamental for Kyiv.

“Russia talks about this war, and it talks about territory. The key question is: why would it not come back again with one or two million more soldiers after a long pause? Why would it not return to conquer us?” he asked.

“Putin may look for a smaller country”

Zelensky also said he agrees with some Western assessments that Vladimir Putin may seek to escalate the conflict with NATO, possibly by turning against smaller Baltic states.

“He does not know how to end this war without a major conquest or a major victory to present to his society. It is easier to find some smaller country,” he said.

According to Zelensky, whether such a country belongs to NATO or not would not necessarily be decisive for the Russian president.

“He wants a quick victory, to be 100% certain that he will win, that he will conquer, destroy, or control,” he added.