Trump Offers Ukraine Patriot Missile Production Rights Amid Russian Missile Threats

US President Donald Trump has announced that Ukraine will be granted a licence to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, a move aimed at strengthening Kyiv’s ability to defend against Russia’s growing ballistic missile attacks.

Trump made the announcement during the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday while meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, saying the licence would allow Ukraine to manufacture the advanced air defence missiles locally.

"We are gonna give you a licence to make Patriots," Trump told Zelensky. "I think they can produce them very quickly once we explain it."

The US president said he had not yet informed defence manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon about the decision but expressed confidence that the arrangement would proceed.

The Patriot system is among the world’s most advanced air defence platforms, designed to detect and intercept incoming missiles. However, it is also one of the most expensive, with a single battery and associated missiles estimated to cost around $1 billion.

The announcement comes as Ukraine continues to face intensified Russian missile attacks, particularly ballistic missile strikes that Kyiv says are among Moscow’s most difficult weapons to counter.

Ukrainian President Zelensky confirmed in May that Kyiv had formally requested US approval to produce Patriots under licence.

While Ukraine has developed capabilities to counter many of Russia’s drone attacks, ballistic missiles remain a major challenge because of their speed, flight path and ability to penetrate weakened air defence networks.

The Ukrainian Air Force recently reported a severe shortage of interceptor missiles, saying none of the 23 ballistic missiles launched by Russia in one overnight attack were intercepted. The strike reportedly killed more than 20 people.

Trump said allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriots would prevent Kyiv from arguing that Washington was not providing enough support.

Despite the decision, Trump acknowledged that the United States itself has limited supplies of the missile system.

"We have Patriots, but we don't have that many. We need them for ourselves too," he said.

The United States has been reluctant to release large numbers of Patriot interceptors after reportedly using a significant portion of its stockpile during recent military operations.

According to figures cited from the US Department of Defence, production capacity remains limited, with only about 600 interceptor missiles manufactured annually.

While Ukraine welcomed the move, some military analysts questioned whether production could begin quickly on Ukrainian territory.

Military expert Ivan Stupak, a former Ukrainian security service officer, said Patriot systems are highly sophisticated and would require extensive technical expertise and secure facilities.

"Unfortunately, Ukraine is not able to produce such kinds of advanced munition, because it's really sophisticated, cutting-edge equipment," he said.

He suggested production could instead take place on European soil under supervision, warning that establishing the necessary infrastructure could take several months.

"It's a matter of security. We have no safe place on the entire Ukrainian territory," Stupak added.

During the summit, Trump also addressed Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia, claiming Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted to reach a deal to end the conflict.

The US president repeated his call for direct talks between Putin and Zelensky, a proposal he has raised previously without producing a breakthrough.

Putin has said he would consider meeting Zelensky, but has insisted that any such meeting take place in Moscow, a condition Kyiv has been unlikely to accept.

When Trump asked Zelensky whether he would travel to Moscow, the Ukrainian leader responded humorously, referencing Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks on Russian territory.

"It's difficult there are a lot of Ukrainian drones there," Zelensky said.

Trump also acknowledged that Ukraine has recently increased long-range attacks against targets inside Russia, describing the strikes as an escalation but one that could potentially contribute to ending the war.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries, saying they demonstrate the difficulty Moscow faces in protecting its airspace and could encourage negotiations.

The announcement on Patriot production comes as the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, enters another critical phase with both sides seeking military and diplomatic advantages.