Ukraine will not yet receive a license to manufacture interceptors for Patriot systems – negotiations are ongoing, but an agreement will not be reached before the start of winter, U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on Fox News.
"An air defense is a multi-layered, multi-dimension situation. He [President Trump] is talking obviously about the Patriot-3 missiles that are very controlled export-wise. And we do not allow anybody but the U.S. manufacturers to make those in the United States," Whitaker said.
However, he said that there are "co-production opportunities that we can do with the Ukrainians and with the Europeans to increase the industrial base and to support the defense of Ukraine and the defense of Europe."
According to Whitaker, the parties have already discussed these opportunities during meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian authorities in Kyiv, and companies that possess the necessary technologies. "We are working on some of deals," Whitaker said. "I think we are moving forward."
At the same time, he said that it will not be possible to conclude negotiations and sign a long-term agreement before the start of winter. "A long-term production deal is not going to be signed before this winter," the diplomat said.
According to Whitaker, the main task now is to provide Ukraine with air defense capabilities as quickly as possible. This involves both the transfer of missiles from allies with surplus stockpiles and the ramp-up of production at U.S. facilities.
He also said the U.S. is taking into account the risks associated with protecting military technologies that could fall into the hands of adversaries.
As previously reported, during a meeting with Zelenskyy in Washington at the end of July, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he was prepared to allow Ukraine to manufacture interceptor missiles for the Patriot systems under license. However, just a few days later, he clarified that a final decision had not yet been made.
