Trump promises to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles

Special correspondent to AnkaraDonald Trump's tone with Volodomyr Zelensky has changed, at least in recent days. He went from humiliating him in the Oval Office and in front of the cameras last February, to praising him and sending a message of support at the NATO summit this Wednesday in Ankara. In this context, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has promised to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the powerful US Patriot missile system.

This is one of Kyiv's main requests since the beginning of the Russian invasion. And, finally, at the NATO summit, Trump has given in and announced it at a press conference alongside Zelensky himself. Thus, the New York magnate has claimed that this decision will allow Ukraine to produce its own interceptors and, in this regard, will no longer depend on American shipments. Trump also defended the decision because they are defensive military equipment and not offensive. "We will give you a license to manufacture Patriots. That way you can't complain that we don't give you enough. Make them yourselves," said the US president, who also stated that he is confident that the Ukrainian arms industry can start production "very quickly".

Patriot missiles are, in practice, the only Western system capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles and have been essential for protecting cities like Kyiv from attacks on infrastructure and residential areas. However, American production has not been sufficient to simultaneously cover the needs of Ukraine and the United States' allies in the Middle East, who also require these systems due to the Iranian threat.

Vladimir Putin has taken advantage of this shortage to intensify ballistic missile bombings on the Ukrainian capital. Despite the significance of the announcement, Trump also admitted that he had not previously coordinated this decision with Lockheed Martin, the main manufacturer of Patriot missiles, which raises questions about the timeline and conditions under which production in Ukraine could materialize.

More long-range missiles

In parallel, twelve states, including Spain, have committed during the NATO summit to invest a total of 43.2 billion euros over the next decade in long-range missiles. The initiative, driven by the United Kingdom, seeks to accelerate the acquisition and development of these systems through greater cooperation among allies, enabling them to "defend and deny an adversary a military advantage," according to the statement in which the Atlantic Alliance explains the pact. The signatories are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.