Trump grants Ukraine license to produce Patriot missiles, but challenges remain

US President Donald Trump announced at the NATO summit in Ankara that the United States would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense missiles. The decision is a diplomatic win for Kyiv, which has been seeking this for months, but experts warn it could take years before any missiles are manufactured. Source: DW; AP

What was announced

Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, "We'll give them the right to make Patriots. We'll show them how to do it." Source: Guardian The move is intended to address Ukraine's urgent need for interceptors to defend against Russian ballistic missiles. However, Trump acknowledged he had not yet informed the manufacturers, Lockheed Martin and RTX. Source: Guardian The announcement came amid a global shortage of Patriot interceptors, exacerbated by the US-Israel conflict with Iran. Source: Euronews

Challenges ahead

Ukraine would become the third country, after Japan and Germany, licensed to produce Patriots. But military analyst Oleh Katkov noted that it took Japan two years to start production. Source: DW The scope of the license remains unclear: it may cover only certain components or final assembly. Source: AP Ukrainian officials said technical details must still be agreed. Source: Euronews Trump claimed US industry could set up production in "two to three months," contrasting with expert estimates. Source: Euronews Additionally, global demand has outstripped supply, with Gulf states firing over 1,100 interceptors recently. Source: Euronews

Reactions

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba called the move "big" but noted it will take "months, if not years" to implement. Source: Foreign Policy CIA veteran George Beebe argued the license will do little for Ukraine's immediate air defense problems. Source: Guardian Zelenskyy said Ukrainian and US teams must work "without pauses" to finalize arrangements. Source: AP