Zelenskyy Seeks 5% of U.S. Patriot Missiles as Pence Urges South Korea to Help
Updated
Updated · POLITICO · Aug 23
Zelenskyy Seeks 5% of U.S. Patriot Missiles as Pence Urges South Korea to Help
3 articles · Updated · POLITICO · Aug 23
Summary
5% of the U.S. missile defense system could help Ukraine through the winter, Pence said Zelenskyy told him during a visit to Kyiv for an Independence Day prayer breakfast.
U.S. supplies are tight because the war with Iran has depleted interceptor stocks, and Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker has said production cannot fix the shortage quickly.
South Korea could fill part of that gap, Pence said, urging President Lee Jae Myung to make sophisticated interceptors available for U.S. deployment in either the Middle East or Ukraine.
The appeal comes as U.S.-South Korea ties have frayed after Trump ordered joint military exercises cut back, while North Korea has sent troops to fight alongside Russia against Ukraine.