Ukraine asks five European allies for 10% of Patriot and IRIS-T interceptor stocks

Ukrainian Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara has formally asked the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Poland each to release 10% of their existing Patriot and IRIS-T interceptor missile stocks to Ukraine, proposing that partners provide a portion of their current holdings immediately in exchange for shipments already contracted for future delivery to Kyiv.

"Ukraine already has contracts in place for future deliveries of interceptor missiles," Khmara said on Telegram, outlining the exchange mechanism. He also called urgently for additional man-portable air defence systems, saying Ukraine was counting on both funding for new acquisitions and transfers from partner stockpiles.

Khmara added that Ukraine could double its drone production by 2027 if funding arrived on time, and proposed scaling up joint drone manufacturing in partner countries to strengthen their own defensive capabilities alongside Kyiv's.

Following a meeting in Paris, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that the participating countries had already prepared winter aid packages for Ukraine. He said European partners were also working with Kyiv to develop a broader air defence system and pledged to press for continued US support, including intelligence and satellite data.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was preparing to intensify attacks on major Ukrainian cities. Senior Ukrainian officials told The Economist that Moscow planned to paralyse Kyiv before the onset of colder weather, ordering strikes on civilian infrastructure across the capital, while officials told the Financial Times that Russia intended to increase pressure on Kyiv to force acceptance of its demands.