President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Ukraine will receive a manufacturing license for Patriot missiles, a move he revealed before even informing the American defense contractors who make the weapons.
“We haven’t informed the company of that yet, but that’ll work out all right. I’m sure they will be thrilled,” Trump said during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.
The announcement came as Russia launched its third ballistic missile attack on Kyiv in less than a week, exploiting what officials describe as Ukraine’s critical shortage of American-made air defense interceptors. While Ukrainian forces managed to intercept 139 of 169 drones during overnight strikes, they couldn’t stop any of the five ballistic missiles Russia fired, according to air force data.
Trump framed the license as a solution to Ukraine’s constant requests for more of the defensive systems.
“We’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool. This way, you can’t complain that we’re not giving ’em enough,” Trump told Zelenskyy.
The president emphasized his preference for the defensive nature of the weapon system. “It’s a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon,” he said.
Lockheed Martin serves as the prime contractor for the interceptor missiles used in the Patriot system. Trump suggested he could apply pressure to ensure cooperation from defense manufacturers.
“We have great power over the companies, those companies that make the Patriot,” Trump said.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly pleaded for more of the U.S.-made interceptors, which remain the only weapon in Ukraine’s arsenal capable of shooting down ballistic projectiles. The missiles’ high velocity and steep flight path make them extremely difficult to intercept with other systems.
The Ukrainian president told Trump he wanted to discuss “some very important details” during their meeting.
“I’m sure you will do everything to stop this war,” Zelenskyy said.
Trump offered a candid assessment of both leaders involved in the conflict, calling negotiations more difficult than he anticipated.
“We’ve settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy’s a difficult character,” Trump said, gesturing to Zelenskyy seated beside him.
The president said both Russia and Ukraine want to see the war end, though progress has been elusive.
Moscow has intensified its aerial campaign against Ukraine in recent months as Russian ground advances have largely stalled. Ukrainian strikes targeting Russian military logistics and oil infrastructure have triggered widespread fuel shortages inside Russia, prompting the escalation.
The Patriot license represents a significant shift in American policy toward arming Ukraine. Rather than continuing to supply the interceptors directly, the arrangement would allow Ukraine to manufacture the weapons domestically, potentially addressing the chronic shortage that has left Ukrainian cities vulnerable to ballistic missile attacks.
Whether Lockheed Martin and other defense contractors will embrace the arrangement remains to be seen. Trump’s acknowledgment that he announced the deal before consulting with the companies suggests the administration expects compliance regardless of corporate concerns.
For Ukraine, the timing couldn’t be more urgent. Three ballistic missile attacks on the capital in under a week have demonstrated the deadly gap in air defenses. The Patriot system remains the country’s only reliable shield against Russia’s most dangerous projectiles.
Zelenskyy arrived at the NATO summit hoping to secure additional American support. He left with something potentially more valuable: the ability to build his own.
