Trump announces US license for Ukrainian Patriot production at NATO summit in Ankara

The idea of Ukrainian Patriot production is not new: Zelensky had intensively advocated in recent weeks for obtaining licenses to build the air defense systems. The background was massive Russian attacks with ballistic missiles on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities, which had clearly exposed the vulnerability of air defenses. Trump expressly praised his Ukrainian counterpart's conduct in the war and said, addressing Zelensky: "So you can't complain that we're not giving enough."

Background: Zelensky's push for domestic Patriot production

The Patriot system is considered decisive in Kyiv in the fight against the Russian missile offensive. According to Ukrainian accounts, only US-made Patriot systems are capable of intercepting the ballistic missiles deployed by Russia. The Patriot system is manufactured in the United States and plays a central role in protecting Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, particularly against ballistic missiles.

The financial dimensions are enormous: a complete Patriot air defense system is estimated to cost around $400 million, or roughly €340 million. A single interceptor missile runs up to $4 million depending on the model. Against this backdrop, many details of Ukraine's production plans remain unclear. According to consistent reports, both the financing of a production facility and the timeframe in which manufacturing could be set up are still open.

Patriot as a key element in the defense fight against Russia

Trump had previously welcomed the project in principle and commented on the prospect of Ukrainian Patriot manufacturing with the words "That's pretty cool." At the same time, he announced that he wanted to speak by phone with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. He also asked Zelensky whether he would travel to Moscow for talks. According to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Zelensky had previously stated that he would meet Putin anywhere except Moscow.

Zelensky responded to the Moscow invitation with a quick-witted remark: "It's currently dangerous there, too many Ukrainian drones," he said with a view to the Russian capital. He was thereby referencing the repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on targets in and around Moscow. Despite the sensitive topics, the tone between the two presidents remained friendly and characterized by mutual respect.

Parallel to the Ukraine talks, Trump attracted attention with another announcement: he said the United States would "hit" Iran "hard" during the coming night. This statement was also made on the sidelines of the summit and made clear that Trump was using the Ankara summit to send a series of foreign policy signals. At the same time, he said he was "very disappointed" with NATO, without elaborating in detail.

Costs and unresolved financing

According to the alliance, the focus of the NATO summit in Ankara is on defense spending and continued support for Ukraine. As things stand, five NATO member states will reach the target of 3.5 percent of economic output for defense spending in 2026. The question of burden-sharing within the alliance has been a central point of contention for months.

Germany plays an important role in supplying Ukraine with Patriot systems and Patriot munitions and is among the most important suppliers. Overall, several NATO states have already provided Ukraine with Patriot systems and, so far, have also delivered the associated missiles. Ukrainian domestic production would reduce dependence on supply chains from the United States and Europe.

However, a production facility in Ukraine carries considerable security risks: a Patriot missile manufacturing site in Ukraine would simultaneously be a priority target for Russian attacks. Moscow would have a strong interest in destroying such a facility through airstrikes, missiles, or drone attacks in order to weaken Ukrainian air defenses over the long term.

Security risk: production site as a Russian target

The discussion about Ukrainian Patriot manufacturing thus raises a series of strategic questions: How can a production facility be secured against Russian attacks? Which technological components would need to be supplied from the United States, and who will bear the costs of building a modern missile manufacturing operation in an active war zone? These points will be the subject of further talks between Washington and Kyiv.

During his appearance, Trump repeatedly stressed that Ukraine could not complain about insufficient aid. With regard to the Patriot license, he reaffirmed that the United States would give Ukraine "the right to make Patriots." This marked a remarkable U-turn from earlier positions in which Washington had always handled the export of the sensitive technology restrictively.

Observers view the step as a sign of growing willingness on the part of the US government to substantively strengthen the Ukrainian defense industry. Independent Ukrainian production could not only ease the supply situation for interceptor missiles, but also deepen the country's industrial anchoring in the Western defense alliance.

Further signals from Trump on the sidelines of the summit

The NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump and Zelensky also met, simultaneously provided the stage for a broader debate about the future of Western support for Ukraine. The Ukrainian government had repeatedly stressed in recent months the urgency of additional air defense systems, as the Russian missile and drone offensive continues to severely damage civilian infrastructure and energy facilities.

Trump also announced a phone call with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. Whether and in what form this conversation would take place initially remained unclear. Zelensky had in principle been open to direct talks with Moscow, albeit under the condition of not having to travel to the Russian capital. He underscored this stance with his remark about the many Ukrainian drones over Moscow.

Overall, the Ankara summit shows that the Patriot question has become a symbol of the West's handling of Ukrainian air defense. The license announcement marks a new chapter in relations between Washington and Kyiv, although its practical implementation will still need to be negotiated in the coming months.