President Donald Trump said Wednesday the U.S.will give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems, a move that could mark a significant shift from supplying Kyiv with American-made weapons to helping Ukraine produce them itself.Trump made the comments while meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as Kyiv continues to press Western allies for additional air defense capabilities to counter Russian missile and drone attacks.Trump's announcement comes as Patriot interceptors have become one of Ukraine's most urgent military needs.
The U.S.-made Patriot system is widely regarded as Ukraine's most capable defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks and has played a central role in protecting Kyiv and other critical infrastructure.Image depicts Ukraine strikes and a Patriot interceptor system.(Valentyn Ogirenko / Franck Robichon via pool / Reuters)TRUMP ENTERS FINAL NATO SUMMIT DAY AS UKRAINE, DEFENSE SPENDING TAKE CENTER STAGEAsked whether he would allow Patriot interceptors to be made in Europe and whether he was comfortable licensing the technology, Trump said the two leaders would discuss it."We're going to talk about that," Trump said.
"Look, it's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon.It's the best." Minutes later, Trump went further, saying the U.S.
would give Ukraine a license to make Patriots."We're going to give a license to you to make patriots," Trump said."That's pretty cool.
Right? This way you can't complain that we're not giving them enough.I'd say make them yourself." U.S.
President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy alongside the NATO leaders summit at the Bestepe Presidential Compound, in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026 (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)TRUMP COULD HAND PRIZED STEALTH JETS TO NATO ALLY ONCE SEEN AS ALLIANCE HEADACHE"We haven't informed the company of that yet, but that'll that'll work out all right," he added."You know, I'm sure t...