Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Greece on Sunday, seeking both economic and military assistance as the battlefield situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate sharply.
Greek media reported ahead of the visit that Zelensky intended to request two Patriot air-defense systems and a number of Mirage 2000 fighter jets, as Kiev’s air-defense network has become nearly nonexistent in recent months amid sustained Russian strikes.
While neither the Ukrainian nor Greek governments confirmed the specific equipment requested, it remains unlikely that Athens would surrender either its Patriots or Mirage jets. Greece possesses only three Patriot batteries and maintains a limited Mirage fleet, both of which are considered essential given Greece’s ongoing tensions with Turkey.
Under President Donald Trump, Washington has itself been reluctant to supply Kiev with Patriot systems. Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted last week that the expected lifespan of a Patriot battery in Ukraine before being destroyed by Russian forces is “only one week,” a sobering assessment that further reduces the likelihood of Greece parting with any of its own air-defense assets.
One concrete agreement did emerge: Ukraine will begin importing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) through Greek terminals starting in January. The arrangement, financed through €2 billion in European Union funds, provides Kiev with a crucial — though costly — alternative source of energy.
Ukraine faces a dire heating crisis heading into what forecasters expect to be a colder-than-average winter. Repeated Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, including gas-production sites, have slashed Ukraine’s domestic energy output by more than 60 percent. As a result, Kiev is now forced to import up to 80 percent of its gas supply — a drastic reversal from last year, when Ukraine’s domestic production and control over Russian transit pipelines allowed it to meet most of its domestic demand.
Russian strikes continued over the weekend. Videos circulating on social media Saturday showed a massive fire at a gas compressor station in Kharkov region, a key node for routing gas across Ukraine. The attack further underscores Ukraine’s increasingly fragile energy grid as winter approaches.