Ukraine war latest: Zelensky sends Trump urgent letter warning of Ukraine's critical missile defense

Zelensky sends Trump urgent letter warning of Ukraine's critical missile defense shortages Ukraine fails to pass IMF-backed reforms, despite millions of dollars on the line Ukraine to intensify middle strike drone campaign as Fedorov unveils 'logistical lockdown' against Russia Pope Leo condemns Russian strikes on Ukraine, calls for end to 'sharp intensification' of war President Volodymyr Zelensky sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump warning about Ukraine's worsening shortage of air def

"When it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States ." Ukrainian officials fear the country's limited supply of Patriot interceptors and other Western-provided systems may struggle to withstand bombardments. "It's really tough when it comes to anti-ballistic defense," one person familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. According to the official, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna , has been distributing the letter to the White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other members of Congress. The message also reflects Kyiv's growing concern over difficulties securing weapons through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows NATO allies to finance the purchase of U.S. "The current pace of deliveries through the PURL program is no longer keeping up with the reality of the threat we face," the letter says. "I ask for your help in protecting Ukraine's skies from Russian missiles ." Ukraine's access to billions in much-needed cash is once again hanging in the balance as lawmakers stumble on reforms . Having already missed deadlines on a long list of legislation required by the European Union, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund, Ukraine's parliament made limited progress during a plenary session on May 26 and 27 — failing to pass a new IMF tax and withdrawing other bills at the last minute for fear of a lack of votes, said lawmakers who spoke with the Kyiv Independent. The impasse comes despite an IMF mission arriving on the morning of May 27 to assess the country's progress on reforms — and decide the fate of a $685 million tranche to the country next month. Ukraine relies in large part on cash from its allies, particularly the European Union , to fund its war effort and keep the state and economy afloat. But the cash is conditional on Kyiv working its way through a long list of wide-ranging reforms, which encourage the country to reduce corruption, modernize its economy, and align with European and international practices and norms. During the first day of a plenary session on May 26, parliamentarians failed to pass 11 amendments to a bill introducing a new tax on small imported parcels — one of the IMF's demands, which had a deadline of March 31. The fund says the tax would improve Kyiv's ability to raise more revenue for the state and support itself financially.

Key points

• "When it comes to defending against ballistic missiles, we rely almost exclusively on the United States ." Ukrainian officials fear the country's limited supply of Patriot interceptors and other We…
• "It's really tough when it comes to anti-ballistic defense," one person familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent.
• According to the official, Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna , has been distributing the letter to the White House, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and other members of Congr…
• The message also reflects Kyiv's growing concern over difficulties securing weapons through the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) program, which allows NATO allies to finance the purchas…
• "The current pace of deliveries through the PURL program is no longer keeping up with the reality of the threat we face," the letter says.