Ukraine to receive licence to produce missiles for Patriot air‑defence systems, Zelensky says
Zelensky says Trump made a "final decision" to grant a licence for local production of Patriot missiles after their New York meeting.
On 25 September 2026 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that U.S. President Donald Trump made a "final decision" to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture missiles for the Patriot air‑defense systems.
Zelensky told reporters after a bilateral meeting in New York that the move would allow Kyiv to produce the guided interceptors locally — weapons Kyiv relies on to blunt intense Russian ballistic‑missile strikes.
What Zelensky said
“During our last meeting, President Trump confirmed to me that, yes, he has made a final decision: Ukraine will receive a license to manufacture Patriot missiles,” Zelensky said, according to his remarks after the meeting this week in New York.
The announcement, if implemented, would mark a significant step in transferring production technology and licensing to Ukraine, shortening supply lines and potentially increasing the tempo of Kyiv’s air‑defence replenishment.
Details about the scope of the licence, the timeline for Azerbaijani or domestic production facilities, and which U.S. contractors would be involved were not disclosed in Zelensky’s statement. Both technical and legal arrangements would need to be finalised before local manufacture could begin.
Photo: press material from the event
