From July 7th to 8th, local time, the NATO summit was held in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. According to Reuters, when US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the 8th, he stated that the United States would authorize Ukraine to produce its own "Patriot" anti-missile systems to meet Ukraine's defense needs.
Trump said to Zelenskyy, "We will give you permission to produce the ‘Patriot’. That’s cool. In this way, you won’t be able to complain that we’ve given you too little. It’s a defensive weapon. I prefer such weapons over offensive ones."
Trump did not provide any further details, nor did he specify whether the interceptor missiles were manufactured in Ukraine or elsewhere. When asked whether the United States would provide more "Patriot" interceptor missiles to Ukraine in the near future, Trump responded by saying that he believed Ukraine had the ability to start production quickly, and therefore the United States would supply "a portion" of the interceptor missiles.
He said, “We have ‘patriots’, but not many. We also need these weapons ourselves. I think they will start production soon. Once we explain the situation, we will introduce the company. You cooperate with the company, and their ability to produce weapons is very strong. Even quite complex weapons are no problem for them.”
Trump hinted that the United States might pressure the contractors who produce the ‘Patriot’ interceptor missiles, asking them to increase the production of these missiles. ‘We have a significant influence over the companies that manufacture the ‘Patriot’. We haven’t informed these companies yet, but that’s not a problem. I believe they will be happy with this.’
"Patriot" anti-missile system: IC photo
This statement has received support from Ukraine. Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanichina, said that the meeting sent “multiple important strategic signals” regarding US-Ukraine cooperation. She expressed her country’s hope to translate these signals into concrete decisions. In a statement, she said: “We attach great importance to the United States’ continued efforts to pave the way for a just and lasting peace.”
Reuters noted that the "Patriot" anti-missile system has become a key weapon for Ukraine in response to Russian aerial attacks, and it is the only weapon available to Ukraine for intercepting Russian ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy has repeatedly called for the United States to provide more interceptor missiles to enhance Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
However, former U.S. ambassador to Russia Michael McFarlane believes that allowing Ukraine to produce ‘Patriot’ interceptor missiles is a significant step forward in U.S-Russia cooperation. But this does not meet Ukraine’s immediate needs. He pointed out: ‘Ukraine needs interceptor missiles now; we cannot wait until they are produced in the future.’
The American newspaper The New York Times also reported that even if Ukraine gets permission, it will still take time to produce the system. The manufacturing of the Patriot anti-missile systems is complex and time-consuming, and it is not yet clear which Ukrainian companies will cooperate with Raytheon Technologies or Lockheed Martin to manufacture these missiles. It may take several years for Trump's policy to be effective.
The report also noted that if a “Patriot” interceptor missile factory were built within Ukraine, it would undoubtedly become a priority target for Russia.
Currently, the pressure on Ukraine in terms of air defense is increasing. Zelenskyy has repeatedly emphasized that Ukraine's interceptor missiles are running out. Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, was hit by Russian ballistic missiles and drones twice within a week, resulting in more than 50 deaths.
