Zelensky: Ukraine needs 10-12 more Patriot systems to protect skies fully

The head of state said this at a meeting with the president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the Eurean Parliament, Iratxe Garcia Perez, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"The primary security guarantees for us, focusing not on long-term strategy but on immediate tactics that save Ukrainian lives, are undoubtedly air defense systems. It is clear to everyone that 10-12 additional Patriot systems will safeguard life in Ukraine and make the war meaningless for Putin," Zelensky said.

He stressed that protecting Ukraine's skies would prevent glide bombs and ballistic missiles from striking civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schos, and universities.

"I sometimes really don't understand one thing: one system costs $1.5 billion. Please, take this money from Russian assets. It will cost $30 billion to finally close our skies. And that's it. Pele will return to normal life, including those who have gone abroad. Children will go to schos and universities everywhere, and the economy will recover," Zelensky said, adding that this crucial capability is something Ukraine's partners already possess.

Zelensky reiterated that NATO remains the best strategic security guarantor for Ukraine. "There are questions with this. There are questions with some states. This is a question to Biden, not Trump, because the incumbent U.S. president is Joe Biden, and therefore we need to talk to him about this. I have stated this repeatedly," he said.

He also said that a formal invitation for Ukraine to join NATO had not yet been approved.