Former US Vice President Mike Pence revealed on Sunday that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked him for roughly five percent of America’s remaining Patriot missile inventory during a visit to Kyiv, arguing the supply would be enough to survive the winter.
Pence, who traveled to the Ukrainian capital in an apparent personal capacity, told reporters that Zelenskyy made the appeal during their meeting. “If the US could spare five percent of its missile defense system, he believes that would get them through the winter months,” Pence said, describing the conversation.
The former vice president added that Ukraine is “winning the war” militarily but acknowledged growing concerns about the country’s ability to defend its cities as Russia escalates ballistic missile attacks heading into the colder months. Pence did not indicate whether he had relayed the request to the Trump administration or what response, if any, he expected.
Air Defense Shortfall Deepens
Ukraine’s Patriot interceptor stockpile has been under severe strain since the US and Israel launched their campaign against Iran earlier this year, diverting American missile supplies away from Kyiv. Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that Ukraine now holds just one percent of the interceptors it needs, and that Russia is launching roughly twice as many ballistic missiles per month compared to 2025.
In a CNN interview on August 13, Zelenskyy laid out the math bluntly: five percent of US stocks would allow Ukraine to survive the winter, while ten percent would enable it to intercept all incoming Russian ballistic missiles. Washington has so far approved a license for Ukraine to eventually produce Patriot interceptors domestically, but that capability remains months or even years away.
The urgency is underscored by the scale of Russia’s assault. On August 22 alone, Ukrainian forces recorded 254 combat engagements along the front, with the Kostiantynivka and Pokrovsk sectors seeing the heaviest fighting. Russia dropped 329 guided aerial bombs and launched nearly 12,000 kamikaze drones in a single day, according to the Ukrainian General Staff.
Political Signals from Washington
Pence’s visit comes at a sensitive moment in US-Ukraine relations. While the Trump administration has maintained military aid flows, it has tied broader security guarantees to progress in peace negotiations with Moscow that have largely stalled since the spring. The administration has also signaled it wants Ukraine to increase domestic defense production rather than rely on American stockpiles.
Trump announced a Patriot missile deal with Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara in July, but the specifics of delivery timelines remain unclear. Meanwhile, a Reuters report on August 5 indicated that the US is pressing ahead with talks on allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors under license, even as Trump has expressed reservations about the cost.
The winter deadline looms large for Ukrainian planners. Without a significant infusion of interceptors, air defense commanders will face impossible choices about which cities and infrastructure to prioritize as Russian ballistic salvos intensify. Zelenskyy’s pitch to Pence appears designed to build political momentum ahead of what could be a pivotal autumn for Ukraine’s survival.
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