Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Kyiv had officially asked the administration of US President Donald Trump to supply Patriot air defense systems, which are needed to strengthen the country's air defense. The statement, made during a briefing on June 21, 2025, was an important signal of continued dialogue between Ukraine and the US ahead of the NATO summit, which will be held on June 24-25 in The Hague. This was reported by the RBC-Ukraine publication, which specified that the request was sent through US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

According to Zelensky, the application was submitted during a meeting in Canada attended by First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak and Bessent. During the talks, not only military assistance issues were discussed, but also prospects for economic cooperation, including an agreement on the extraction of mineral resources. Zelensky emphasized that the submitted package included Ukraine's priority needs for weapons, the key element of which is the Patriot air defense system. "We have clearly outlined what we need. Now we are waiting for an answer," the president noted, adding that Kyiv is ready to fully finance the purchase of the systems, despite their high cost, which, according to Defense News, can reach $ 1 billion per battery.

The request for Patriot reflects Ukraine’s desire to strengthen its air defenses in the face of ongoing Russian attacks on infrastructure. Since early 2025, Russia has stepped up its missile and drone strikes, causing significant destruction in Kharkiv, Odessa and other cities, Reuters reports. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, existing air defense systems, including the Western-supplied NASAMS and IRIS-T, cannot completely close the airspace, especially against hypersonic missiles. In this context, Patriots, which can intercept ballistic targets, are seen as critical, as Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov previously stated in an interview with CNN.