Ukraine has been given the rights to produce Patriot interceptor missiles, according to a new statement from US President Donald Trump. He has not yet informed defence manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon of his decision at the time of making the statement.
"We are gonna give you a licence to make Patriots," Trump said to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Nato summit in Ankara, via the BBC. "I think they can produce them very quickly once we explain it."
Patriot interceptor missiles are seen as one of the world's best and most expensive air defence systems. As Zelensky calls for aid from European allies following a string of Russian ballistic missile strikes, it seems Patriots could offer the answer to the increased attacks. Dozens of people have been killed in Kyiv over the past week.
However, Trump has also clarified that the US requires Patriot missiles for its own defence. "We have Patriots, but we don't have that many. We need them for ourselves too," he said. Due to the cost and length of time it takes to make the missiles, only around 600 can be made per year. As of the time of writing, the US has used around half of its stockpile in its recent war with Iran.