Trump Offers Ukraine Licence to Produce Patriot Missile Interceptors
U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States will grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s air defence against continued Russian missile attacks.
Speaking after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said Ukraine would be able to produce the interceptors under licence with support from US defence companies. He described the Patriot system as defensive and suggested production could begin relatively quickly, although details still need to be finalised.
The announcement comes as Ukraine faces a shortage of Patriot interceptors amid intensified Russian strikes. Trump also noted that the United States may provide additional interceptors in the short term, though supplies remain limited due to global demand.
If implemented, the agreement would mark a significant expansion of US-Ukraine defence cooperation, giving Kyiv the ability to produce one of the world’s most advanced air-defence systems domestically under American licence.
