Ukraine urges U.S. for Patriot missiles as Sweden pledges 36 Gripen jets
Ukraine secures urgent U.S. air defense reinforcements as Russia escalates missile strikes, while Sweden finalizes a landmark deal to deliver 36 Gripen fighter jets within months.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has made an unusually direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump and Congress, warning that Ukraine’s air defenses are “falling dangerously short” as Russian ballistic missile attacks intensify. In a letter obtained by *The Associated Press*, Zelensky specifically requested Patriot PAC-3 missiles and additional air defense systems, citing a critical shortage of interceptors to counter Russia’s escalating campaign. Kyiv’s envoy to Washington confirmed the urgency, stating that Patriot systems are “critical” to protecting Ukrainian cities from sustained missile barrages .
The plea comes as Ukraine’s General Staff reports 61 Russian attacks along the front line since morning, with the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole sectors facing the heaviest assaults. Officials describe the situation as “volatile,” with Russian forces prioritizing missile and drone strikes to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses .
In a parallel development, Sweden has agreed to supply Ukraine with 36 Gripen fighter jets—16 donated older models and 20 newly purchased aircraft—in a deal finalized during Zelensky’s visit to Uppsala. The first jets are expected to arrive within 10 months, with Ukrainian pilots already in training. Zelensky hailed the agreement as a “major step” in bolstering Ukraine’s long-term air defense capabilities, though he emphasized that immediate needs remain focused on missile interceptors .
The dual-track strategy—urgent U.S. air defense aid and long-term Swedish fighter procurement—reflects Ukraine’s efforts to counter both Russia’s current missile offensive and its anticipated future air superiority challenges. Analysts note that while the Gripens will eventually enhance Ukraine’s ability to intercept cruise missiles and drones, the immediate priority remains replenishing depleted Patriot and other Western-supplied missile stocks .


