Donald Trump announced that the US will authorize Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors after Kyiv’s persistent lobbying exceeding six months.
US President Donald Trump confirmed plans to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot air defence interceptors made in the US.
ADVERTISEMENT 
ADVERTISEMENT
During a joint appearance with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump stated that Washington will provide Kyiv with “the right to manufacture Patriots,” referring to the long-range air defence missiles Ukraine has frequently requested to safeguard its cities and energy infrastructure from Russian attacks.
“We will teach them the process,” Trump remarked, characterizing the system as “very complex” but confident that Kyiv will “quickly master its intricacies.”
He added that US industry is already establishing “four factories” and asserted that “all our companies will be capable of producing this within two to three months,” contrasting this with the extended delivery schedules currently experienced by allies ordering new Patriot systems.
Kyiv has sought permission from the US for more than six months to acquire a licence to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles domestically; however, Washington had declined so far.
Trump noted that licensed production inside Ukraine will serve to counter criticism about the insufficient supply of advanced air defence systems from Washington. “This way, there’s no reason to complain about inadequate deliveries; instead, they can produce them independently,” he stated.
He also mentioned that the US manufacturer has not been informed yet. “The company hasn’t been notified so far, but it will be sorted out. I’m confident they’ll welcome the news,” he added.
The Patriot system, produced in the US by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, remains Ukraine’s sole effective defence against ballistic missiles, though officials warn that interceptor supplies have reached dangerously low levels.
Patriots have been extensively used by US allies, particularly in the Gulf region, alongside Ukraine. Nonetheless, ongoing US and Israeli operations against Iran have diminished almost one-third of the global inventory of Patriot interceptors. Some estimates indicate that Gulf states have collectively launched over 1,100 interceptors during recent months.
Zelenskyy reported that Lockheed Martin manufactures about 600 interceptors annually, equating to roughly 60-65 units per month.
Ukrainian officials claim that Russia produces approximately 120 ballistic missiles each month, plus other types of armaments, increasingly tailoring its attacks to exploit weaknesses in Ukraine’s air defence, including launches of around 30 ballistic missiles during a single night recently.