Ukraine faces shortage of missiles due to war in Middle East: Zelenskyy

2026-03-18 - 14:30

KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is facing a potential missile shortage as the ongoing war in the Middle East diverts resources and delays peace efforts in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.In an interview with the BBC, Zelenskyy said he had a “very bad feeling” about the broader impact of regional tensions, noting that peace talks have been “constantly postponed” due to the war involving Iran.He warned that the situation is benefiting Russia by driving up global energy prices and straining Western military resources.“In addition to energy prices, it means the depletion of US reserves, and the depletion of air defense manufacturers. So, we have a depletion of resources,” Zelenskyy said.He added that there would “definitely” be a deficit of Patriot missile systems, calling it “a challenge,” and questioned how long stockpiles in the Middle East would last.“America produces 60 to 65 missiles per month... and on the first day in the Middle East war, 803 missiles were used,” he said, highlighting the scale of consumption compared to production capacity.Regional tensions have escalated since the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, with the conflict resulting in around 1,300 deaths, including senior Iranian leadership figures.Iran has responded with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries, disrupting global markets, aviation and supply chains.Zelenskyy also criticized US President Donald Trump’s stance on the Ukraine war, suggesting he is avoiding taking sides to “not irritate” Russian President Vladimir Putin.He also called for stronger alignment between Washington and London, expressing hope that Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer would meet to “re-load the relationship” and adopt a unified position.