Trump offers Ukraine licence to produce Patriot missiles

US President Donald Trump announced at the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday that Ukraine would be granted a licence to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, a move aimed at helping Kyiv counter Russia's ballistic missile strikes. Trump said he had not yet informed the defence manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon of the decision but expected no complications.

The Patriot system is one of the world's most effective air defence systems, but also the most expensive—a single battery with missiles costs about $1bn. Annual production is limited to just 600 missiles, and the US has been reluctant to part with them after using more than half its stockpile during a conflict with Iran earlier this year, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Ukraine urgently needs these missiles as Russia has intensified its ballistic missile attacks, killing dozens in Kyiv alone recently. President Volodymyr Zelensky formally requested a licensed production authorisation in late May. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that a severe shortage of interceptors meant none of the 23 Russian ballistic missiles fired on Sunday night were shot down, resulting in over 20 deaths.

Trump said the licence would prevent Ukraine from complaining about insufficient aid. However, military expert Ivan Stupak, a former security service officer, expressed scepticism, stating that Ukraine lacks the technical capability to produce such sophisticated munitions. He suggested production would likely be deployed to European soil under supervision and could take many months.

Trump acknowledged Ukraine's recent success in long-range strikes deep into Russia, calling it an escalation that could help end the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that strikes on Russian refineries demonstrate Moscow's difficulty in defending its airspace, potentially pushing for an end to the conflict.

Trump reiterated that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants a deal to end the war, but peace efforts have yet to yield results. He again floated the idea of a face-to-face meeting between Zelensky and Putin, even suggesting Moscow as a venue. Zelensky responded with humour, referencing the presence of Ukrainian drones in Moscow.