US President Donald Trump stated that he has not yet decided whether to allow Ukraine to produce interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system, noting that Washington is considering the matter.
"It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and . . . we have to be a little bit careful of who we license to. We don’t really license equipment," Trump emphasized in an interview with the Financial Times on Thursday, specifically noting that they “are looking at it.”
Trump also stated that his primary goal is to end Russia’s war against Ukraine. He announced that his special representatives, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would visit Ukraine for the first time in the coming days.
"Very simply put, we want the war in Ukraine with Russia ended. I’m not looking for missiles. We’re looking for peace," the US President stressed.
As previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine expects to gain the technical capability to produce missiles for the American Patriot air defense systems by the end of 2026 and is working to obtain the necessary licenses.
Zelenskyy also mentioned agreements on the joint production of interceptors for Patriot systems with the American defense company Raytheon.
Furthermore, during a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Zelenskyy and Trump discussed granting Ukraine licenses to produce interceptors for the Patriot air defense systems.
