Ukraine is negotiating to obtain licenses to manufacture interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems on its territory. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the initiative as one of the country’s main priorities amid an intensification of Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The announcement was made by the Office of the President following Zelenskyy’s meeting with US Senators Richard Blumenthal and James Lankford.
The president said Russia was intensifying missile strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure and the agricultural sector. Ukraine needs additional interceptor missiles to prepare for winter and protect critical facilities.
The meeting also focused on strengthening US sanctions against Russia. Zelenskyy called for the swift passage of legislation developed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
“Stronger sanctions could be very painful for Russia,” the president said.
Zelenskyy argued that additional economic pressure should force Moscow toward a diplomatic end to the war. He also thanked US President Donald Trump and his team for their efforts to achieve peace.
What Trump has said about producing Patriot missiles in Ukraine
At the NATO summit in Ankara in early July, Donald Trump publicly said the United States would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles. Zelenskyy later said the US president had agreed to the request during their meeting.
On July 31, however, Trump clarified that no final agreement had been reached. He said negotiations were continuing but that the United States had to be cautious about transferring Patriot production technology to other countries.
In early August, Reuters reported, citing four people familiar with the discussions, that Washington was continuing negotiations with Ukraine despite Trump’s public doubts.
One option under consideration would allow Ukraine to manufacture some components before the missiles undergo final assembly elsewhere in Europe. Zelenskyy’s latest statement therefore indicates that the process remains active, although Washington has not officially announced a final decision.
Even if the license is approved, establishing a complete production cycle could take several years. Licensed manufacturing is therefore regarded as a long-term solution, while Ukraine needs ready-made interceptor missiles from its partners’ stockpiles to get through the coming winter.
Zelenskyy’s meeting with the senators took place after the National Prayer Breakfast, which the US lawmakers attended during their visit to Ukraine on National Flag Day and ahead of Independence Day.
