Trump: I’m not sure Ukraine should be allowed to make Patriot missiles
The US president warned of caution over licensing Patriot interceptors while Kyiv seeks permission to build them at home.
President Donald Trump said he is "not sure" that Ukraine should be permitted to manufacture interceptor missiles for the Patriot air‑defense system, voicing caution about who receives sensitive licensing.
"It is an extraordinary weapon and we have to be a little careful who we give a license to," Trump said, a remark that underscored lingering US concerns even as Kyiv presses to deepen its domestic defence industrial capacity.
Diplomatic steps and industry involvement
Earlier this week Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump at the White House and told US officials the two discussed a licensing arrangement that would allow Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptors independently. Zelensky has publicly argued that local production would shorten supply timelines and strengthen Ukraine’s defences.
Representatives from Raytheon, a manufacturer involved with Patriot components, have already visited Ukraine, and Lockheed Martin—maker of the PAC‑3 interceptor—has been working on sending a team of experts to the country, Ukrainian ambassador Olha Stefanishyna said on Thursday.
People close to Trump, including Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, are also expected to travel to Ukraine in the coming days, according to reports; Kyiv is seeking broad support as talks over technical assistance and licensing continue.
Zelensky has said Trump effectively gave a green light for domestic Patriot production, a claim that highlights the political as well as technical dimensions that Washington will weigh before approving any transfer or licensing of production rights.
Photo: press material from the event
