Pence, who served as vice president during U.S. President Donald Trump's first administration, made the proposal in an interview with CNN from Kyiv, where he was visiting to attend an Independence Day prayer breakfast.
Pence said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had asked the U.S. for about 5 percent of its remaining Patriot missile inventory, saying that would be enough to help Ukraine get through the coming winter.
"One of the things President Zelenskyy made clear to me is that he fully expects that as winter approaches, sooner than later, [Russian President] Putin will start to strike" schools, hospitals, and other facilities including "energy infrastructure to try and essentially impose the deep winter cold on the people of Ukraine," Pence said.
He then pointed to the situation as an "opportunity" for U.S. allies, particularly South Korea, as a potential source of additional interceptor missiles.
"South Korea has interceptors that are very sophisticated, and with some of the back and forth between the president and South Korea this week, this might be an opportunity for President Lee [Jae Myung] to step forward, make those interceptors available to the United States to deploy either in the Middle East or here in Ukraine," he said.
Zelenskyy also asked South Korea earlier this month for help with air defense systems, saying South Korea has advanced capabilities that Ukraine urgently needs. But Seoul has remained cautious, as legal restrictions could make it difficult for the country to provide weapons directly to Kyiv.
Now, Pence's proposal could offer an alternative by having South Korea provide air defense missiles to the U.S., allowing Washington to deploy its own systems to Ukraine or other areas where they are needed without requiring Seoul to directly supply weapons to Kyiv.
His remarks also came amid signs of strain in the bilateral alliance between Seoul and Washington after Trump recently instructed the Pentagon to "substantially" reduce this year's joint military exercise, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Pence's call for assistance to Ukraine could have implications beyond air defense, demonstrating Seoul's strategic value as a U.S. ally while helping Ukraine ease its shortage of interceptor missiles.
AJP Takeaways
• Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Aug. 23, 2026, suggested that South Korea provide interceptor missiles to the United States for possible deployment in Ukraine or other areas where U.S. air defense systems are needed.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Pence that Ukraine needs about 5% of the U.S. remaining Patriot missile inventory to help protect the country through the coming winter amid expected Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
• South Korea has advanced air defense capabilities, and Zelenskyy has separately asked President Lee Jae Myung for South Korean assistance as Ukraine faces a shortage of air defense systems.
• Pence's proposal could provide an alternative to direct South Korean arms shipments to Ukraine, with Seoul supplying missiles to the U.S. while Washington deploys its own systems to Ukraine or elsewhere.
• Pence's call comes amid strains in the South Korea-U.S. alliance, following U.S. President Donald Trump's recent instruction to substantially reduce this year's joint military exercise with South Korea, while also potentially highlighting Seoul's strategic value as a U.S. ally.
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