Trump: We Haven’t Agreed to Ukraine Producing Patriots, Talks Ongoing

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that granting Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles would be a major step and cautioned against technology transfer risks during a cabinet meeting.

Trump on Patriot Production License

Trump stressed in media remarks during his cabinet meeting that granting a license to produce Patriot missiles to Ukraine would be a “big step.” “This weapon is incredible. We have to be very careful about allowing anyone to build it,” he added.

“We haven’t agreed to it yet. We are talking about it, but it’s hard to give away that kind of technology. And, I don’t think that will ever happen, but you know, people you give that technology to can turn against you someday. You know that is possible. Look at wars, it’s happened a few times over the years, right? That’s why we have to be very careful,” the US president continued.

Negotiations and Concessions

Trump stated that he discussed Patriots and Tomahawks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited the White House on Tuesday. “I talked to him about everything. I also talked to him about ending this war,” he added.

“I think he wants to make a deal, and I think Putin wants to make a deal. But there is a lot of ill feeling between them, as you probably see,” Trump noted. He also assessed that “no one wants to make concessions, but both will have to make certain concessions.”

Envoys to Visit Ukraine and Previous Statements

Also on Thursday, Trump told the “Financial Times” that he “is not sure” whether he will grant Ukraine a license to produce missiles for Patriot air defense systems. The US president also announced in his Thursday conversation with the British daily that in the coming days his envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff will visit Ukraine for the first time. “FT” wrote earlier that the visit is intended to revitalize diplomatic efforts aimed at ending Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On July 8 during the NATO summit in Ankara, the US president announced in a conversation with the Ukrainian president that Kyiv would receive a license to produce missiles for Patriot systems in Ukraine. Zelensky told Axios that also during Tuesday’s meeting, Trump had agreed to issue the production license for the missiles.

Zelensky on Air Defense Priority

“I received a call from United States Vice President J.D. Vance. We discussed the results of my recent meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, which was positive and constructive,” President Zelensky wrote on social media on Friday.

The Ukrainian president emphasized that in the face of continuous Russian air attacks on his country, it is important to provide Ukraine with the means to defend itself. “Russian air attacks on Ukraine do not stop, which is why air defense – primarily interceptor missiles for Patriot systems designed to combat ballistic missiles – remains our main priority,” he noted.

Zelensky reported that among the topics of discussion were the consequences of the Russian war for global markets. “We agreed that our teams will remain in contact and work through all the issues we discussed today. Thank you to the United States for supporting Ukraine and our citizens,” wrote the Ukrainian president.