Trump says US will license Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense
Retired general expresses concerns about Pentagon request for more missile funding
Martha MacCallum leads a discussion with Retired General Charles Wald on U.S. missile procurement. It explains the impact of supporting Ukraine on existing stocks and highlights the need for increased financing and production. Wald underscores the importance of a robust defense industrial base to deter rivals like Iran and protect allies in the Middle East and Asia.
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President Donald Trump said Wednesday that the United States will license Ukraine to produce Patriot air defense systems; The move could mark a significant shift from supplying Kiev with American-made weapons to helping Ukraine produce them itself.
Trump made these comments during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy; Kiev continues to press its Western allies for additional air defense capabilities against Russian missile and drone attacks.
Trump’s announcement comes as Patriot interceptors have become one of Ukraine’s most pressing military needs. The US-made Patriot system is considered Ukraine’s most capable defense against Russian ballistic missile attacks and has played a central role in protecting Kiev and other critical infrastructure.
Pictured are Ukrainian attacks and the Patriot interceptor system. (Valentyn Ogirenko/Franck Robichon, via pool/Reuters)
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Asked whether he would allow Patriot missiles to be made in Europe and whether he was comfortable licensing the technology, Trump said the two leaders would discuss the issue.
“We’ll talk about it,” Trump said. “Look, it’s a defensive weapon, and I like it better than offensive weapons. It’s the best.”
Minutes later, Trump went further, saying the United States would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriots.
“We will give you a license to be a patriot,” Trump said. “That’s pretty nice. Isn’t it? This way you can’t complain that we don’t give them enough. I say just make them yourself.”
US President Donald Trump held a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy within the scope of the NATO leaders summit at the Beştepe Presidential Complex, 8 July 2026. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
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“We haven’t informed the company about this yet, but it will work,” he added. “You know, I’m sure they’ll be excited, but, you know, they’ll be able to do it. You’ll be able to figure it out.”
Ukrainian officials have warned that supplies of Patriot missiles have fallen to dangerously low levels, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable as Russia intensifies missile attacks. Zelenskyy came to the NATO summit to seek additional Patriot interceptor aircraft from allies and also pressed for longer-term solutions to increase production, arguing that current production cannot keep up with Russia’s increased missile campaign.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to Patriot interceptor missiles, the Patriot air defense system more broadly, or production in Ukraine, Europe, or both.
Trump’s comment that the administration has not yet notified the company also raised questions about how far along the licensing plan is and what role RTX, the defense contractor that produces the Patriot systems, will play in any future regulation.
The Patriot system has become one of Ukraine’s most sought-after air defense platforms as Russia continues to launch missile and drone bombardment of Ukrainian cities, energy infrastructure, and military targets.
Any effort to expand Patriot production would face significant industrial hurdles.
A member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force stands guard next to a surface-to-air Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile interceptor launch vehicle in Funabashi, east of Tokyo, on Jan. 18, 2018. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
RTX serves as the prime contractor for the Patriot air defense system and produces its radars, launchers, and PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor; Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, produces the newer PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor designed to defeat ballistic missiles. The interceptors are among the world’s most advanced air defense weapons, relying on hundreds of specialist suppliers and complex manufacturing processes.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to RTX and Lockheed Martin for comment.
Defense officials and industry executives have said it could take more than two years to produce the Patriot interceptor, underscoring why the United States and its allies are struggling to replenish stockpiles as demand soars amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
