Volodymyr Zelensky has issued a stark warning to NATO: Europe cannot afford to wait years for a new generation of anti-ballistic missile systems while Russia continues expanding its missile attacks.
Speaking at the NATO Defence Industries Forum in Ankara, the Ukrainian president said ballistic missiles remain “Russia’s last major advantage” and called for the rapid development of affordable, mass-produced European air-defence systems.
His warning came after Russia launched another devastating missile and drone assault on Kyiv, killing 26 people in the second major attack on the Ukrainian capital in just four days.
The strikes highlighted a growing weakness in Ukraine’s air-defence network: a critical shortage of US-made Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, among the few systems capable of reliably countering ballistic missiles.
Zelensky argued that Europe’s need for stronger protection cannot be postponed until the end of the decade.
“Protection is needed today, not years from now,” he told defence officials.
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While Ukraine has become increasingly effective at countering drones and cruise missiles, ballistic missiles remain one of Moscow’s most difficult weapons to intercept.
Russia has increasingly relied on high-speed missile attacks against Ukrainian cities, forcing Kyiv to spend limited air-defence ammunition to protect civilians and critical infrastructure.
The pressure is intensifying as Moscow expands its use of missile and drone combinations designed to overwhelm Ukrainian defences.
For Kyiv, the problem is not only technology — it is supply.
Ukraine has demonstrated the ability to operate advanced Western air-defence systems, but the number of available interceptors remains limited.
Zelensky said Ukraine is developing its own anti-ballistic missile capability and hopes it will eventually deliver “real strong results”.
However, he stressed that immediate protection depends on support from Western allies.
The Ukrainian president said discussions are underway with the United States over a potential licence for Patriot missile production inside Ukraine, urging NATO partners to back the agreement.
“We are capable of doing everything else ourselves,” Zelensky said. “But when it comes to air defence, we need our partners’ determination.”
The proposal reflects a wider shift in Ukraine’s defence strategy: moving from reliance on Western weapons deliveries towards becoming a manufacturing partner for the alliance.
The missile shortage has exposed a broader challenge facing NATO.
Europe possesses some of the world’s most advanced military technology but lacks the industrial capacity to rapidly produce enough systems for a prolonged conflict.
The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that modern warfare is increasingly a battle of production lines as much as battlefields.
Russia has increased defence output, while European countries continue to struggle with slow procurement processes and limited manufacturing capacity.
Zelensky’s message is that waiting years for new capabilities could leave Europe vulnerable.
The question facing NATO is no longer whether it needs stronger air defence.
It is whether it can build those defences quickly enough.
Russia’s missile campaign aims to exploit one of Ukraine’s greatest vulnerabilities: the limited supply of interceptors.
But the Kremlin’s strategy has also exposed a weakness across the wider alliance.
If NATO cannot rapidly expand production of defensive weapons, its ability to deter future threats may be questioned.
Ukraine’s experience offers a warning — and a possible solution.
The country fighting Russia’s missile war is now offering to help build the systems needed to defend Europe.
For Zelensky, the message to NATO leaders in Ankara was simple:
The missile threat is already here.
The response cannot wait until 2030.
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