US assesses timing of Patriot manufacturing license for Ukraine

Ukraine will not receive a license to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot systems by early winter. Talks between Kyiv and Washington are ongoing, but the agreement will require more time to finalize.

The US Permanent Representative to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, stated this on Fox News. According to him, the American side continues to discuss the possible transfer of production rights for interceptors to Ukraine, but one should not expect the process to conclude before the onset of cold weather.

Thus, a final refusal is not being considered at this stage. However, licensed production will not quickly resolve the shortage of missiles needed by Ukraine to protect cities and energy infrastructure from Russian ballistic strikes.

In early July, US President Donald Trump publicly promised to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot interceptors. At that time, however, the details of the agreement with the companies manufacturing the system's components had not yet been finalized.

Later, Trump clarified that no final agreement had yet been reached. He confirmed that talks continue but described the transfer of relevant military technology as a complex issue.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously asked the US to assemble an emergency package of 300 Patriot interceptors by winter. According to the Ukrainian side's assessment, even after receiving a license, ramping up production to the required volumes could take between one and five years.

Therefore, until its own production is launched, Ukraine will depend on supplies of ready-made missiles from the US and other countries operating Patriot systems.

Source: Fox News