So in a military government that instructs each of its top officials to lobby Western allies for additional weapons, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has delegated the specific task of persuading countries that have spare patriots to hand them over to Kuleb.
Kuleba has repeatedly emphasized that he and Ukraine are grateful for the security assistance that many countries have already provided, but he has also begun to publicly express frustration about the limits of their further support.
Western aid has dwindled in recent months — especially from the United States, Ukraine's biggest donor, where Republicans in Congress have spent months blocking a roughly $60 billion package proposed by President Biden.
The challenges Kuleba has faced during his current campaign are emblematic of Ukraine's predicament in this coming war: The country's survival still depends on its arms-supplying partners, but few of those partners seem fully aware of the urgency. Kuleba expressed hope that his new style of tougher diplomacy would catch on.
"Yes, people can hate me and I can ruin relationships," Kuleba said. "Another part of me says that diplomacy is just private relations. But then I told that part to shut up, and the part of me that wanted to speak up started talking. We've tried everything and nothing seems to work."
Kuleba said his team has identified more than 100 available Patriots — some neighboring countries have more than one battery guarding a port or airfield, he said. Zelensky said Ukraine needs 26 to create a full air shield over Ukraine, but Kuleba is initially focused on getting seven as soon as possible.
This would cover Ukraine's largest cities and leave at least one free to be closer to the battlefield where Russian aircraft are punishing Ukrainian forces on the ground using guided bombs.
Kuleba said that it is "difficult for him to understand" the resistance of some countries to transferring at least one of their systems to Ukraine.
At a recent meeting in Brussels celebrating NATO's 75th anniversary, Kuleba bluntly told the audience: "I'm sorry to spoil the birthday party, but who can believe that the most powerful military alliance in the world can't find seven batteries of Patriots to provide them to the only country in the world that fights ballistic attacks every day?"
Kuleba joked that "the luckiest" at the meeting were those ministers who could say they didn't have Patriot batteries. "But those who do are uncomfortable," he said.
Kuleba noted that he is confident that Ukraine will eventually receive more Patriot systems, but the delays are costing Ukrainian lives.
In recent weeks, Russia has stepped up its attacks on critical Ukrainian infrastructure, causing power outages in some cities, including Kharkiv. Kyiv is focusing its requests for increased air defense on the Patriot, as it is the only weapon capable of intercepting and destroying Russia's hypersonic ballistic missiles, such as the Kinzhal.
While Ukraine maintains at least one Patriot battery near Kyiv, the capital, it has moved at least one of two others closer to the frontline to combat Russia's increased use of guided aerial bombs.
The Patriots themselves are a prime target for Russia, and at least one battery in Ukraine has been damaged. It has since been renovated.
Most of Ukraine's air defenses originate from the Soviet Union, such as the S-300 system, and ammunition for it is produced mainly in Russia or Moscow-friendly countries. These Soviet-era systems will eventually become obsolete as Ukraine runs out of ammunition, making the country's security situation even more dire.
Due to the fact that the American package in the amount of 60 billion dollars has stalled, according to Kuleba, Kyiv has identified four more countries in Europe and Asia that have "Patriots" that can be immediately transferred to Ukraine. Still, he didn't stop lobbying the Americans to send their own.
Reiterating that he appreciates the weapons that Washington already supplies, Kuleba said: "Do you honestly believe that the entire US military does not have a spare battery of Patriots that are not on combat duty and cannot be transferred to Ukraine? I'm not."
Even so, the United States will be asked to play a role. Ammunition—albeit in relatively small quantities—is produced there. And before any country hands over a battery, it will ask Washington for permission. Most countries want Washington to commit to replacing any Patriot they can provide to Ukraine.
Kuleba even offered countries to lend Patriots to Ukraine, promising to return the batteries as soon as needed. And he admitted that he felt deep disappointment.
"I feel like I'm hitting the wall with my own head, even though I'm a diplomat, which means I have to dismantle the wall brick by brick," said Kuleba. "But since such diplomacy does not work, I want to hit the wall. I just don't understand why it doesn't happen."
Kuleba said his change in tactics was prompted two weeks ago when people in Kyiv were startled by the sound of explosions less than a minute after hearing an air raid siren that signaled a possible attack.
As a rule, there was more time to seek shelter. This time, Russia deployed ballistic missiles. They were quickly intercepted - almost certainly by missiles from the Patriot. However, Kuleba reacted in a different way: if this could happen in Kyiv, the best protected city in Ukraine, imagine the terror faced by everyone who lives outside the capital.
"The problem is that people are just used to the fact that the war is going on somewhere out there," Kuleba said. "The sense that extraordinary decisions are needed on a regular basis to end this war with a victory for Ukraine is gone."
