On 6 August 2026, President Donald Trump responded to Ukraine’s request for additional Patriot interceptor missiles and long-range munitions by stating that the United States itself requires such weapons. “We also want missiles,” Trump said in the Oval Office, according to multiple reports. He pointed to the scale of previous American military assistance, claiming that former President Joe Biden had provided Ukraine with $300 billion worth of ammunition, and that his administration is now focused on replenishing US stockpiles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has publicly stressed a critical shortage of Patriot interceptors, warning that the country’s air defences are unable to cope with Russian missile strikes. During a massive attack on 1 August, Ukraine’s armed forces reported intercepting only one of 27 ballistic missiles; on 5 August, none of 24 were shot down. Zelenskyy had requested 300 Patriot missiles before winter during a White House meeting on 28 July, a request Trump refused, as later confirmed by US media.

Trump argued that the Biden administration had depleted American arsenals, saying, “When I left, our warehouses were full, and he gave away most of it. Now we are rebuilding them.” He maintained that the US still possesses sufficient ammunition, including some “very powerful” types in “practically unlimited quantities,” but stressed that the military may need these stocks for other potential conflicts. The president also distanced the US from the fighting, noting that “we are not involved in this. An ocean separates us,” while expressing regret at the loss of life on both sides.

The Financial Times reported that Trump’s refusal to supply additional Patriot missiles is partly driven by the need to protect American assets in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Washington and Kyiv are negotiating a licence that would allow Ukraine to produce its own Patriot interceptor missiles domestically. Even if those talks succeed, the missiles are not expected to enter service for at least a year. Trump said progress is being made toward a settlement of the conflict, but gave no details.