Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Fox News that U.S. President Donald Trump has made a decision to grant Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missile systems, according to N12. The statement came after Zelensky's meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday morning, in an interview with Fox News, that U.S. President Donald Trump has made a decision to grant Ukraine licenses to produce Patriot missile systems on its territory, according to N12. The statement comes after Zelensky's Tuesday meeting with Trump at the White House, where the two leaders discussed the licensing and the broader diplomatic process to end the war with Russia.
As The Zioneer reported on Tuesday evening, Zelensky first disclosed that the meeting with Trump addressed the possibility of establishing Patriot manufacturing licenses within Ukraine. Later that evening, Zelenskyy emphasized that the discussion also included the importance of revitalizing the diplomatic process, with their teams to coordinate further cooperation. The thread of reporting shows the issue evolving from a discussion point to a confirmed decision. Prior to the meeting, on July 8, President Trump had announced that the U.S. would grant such a license. On July 22, Zelensky met with the U.S. ambassador to NATO to advance the effort, and on June 21, Zelensky stated that Trump intended to ask American defense companies to set up Patriot production lines in Ukraine and Europe.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, Tuesday's meeting was part of a broader diplomatic marathon at the White House, with Trump also scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had privately urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war, and that Zelensky's standing with Trump had improved amid Ukraine's recent battlefield successes. The decision to grant production licenses reflects a shift toward bolstering Ukraine's self-reliance against Russian aerial campaigns, a key priority for Kyiv as it faces continued missile and drone attacks.
The timeline and implementation details of the licensing and production setup remain unstated. It is not yet clear when Patriot production lines will be established in Ukraine, nor how many systems will be covered.
3 developments
- StrongTrump announces U.S. will grant Ukraine license to produce Patriot missiles
- DevelopingZelensky says Trump intends to have US defense firms build Patriot missile production lines in Ukraine and Europe
- DevelopingZelensky meets with U.S. ambassador to NATO, discusses Patriot missile production licenses
- StrongZelensky calls for domestic Patriot missile production after Russian strike on Kyiv
Source and signal
- Open-source intake