Trump said to make final decision on Ukraine Patriot production licence, Zelenskyy says

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Donald Trump has made a final decision to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles. Zelenskyy said the two leaders discussed the issue at their last meeting, and that Ukraine would receive licences for domestic production. The announcement adds a new element to Kyiv's long-running effort to strengthen its air defences during the war with Russia.

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Zelenskyy made the remarks in a voice note to reporters on Friday. He said Trump had told him: "Yes, I have made a final decision. Ukraine will receive licences for the production of Patriot missiles." Zelenskyy also said on social media earlier in the week that teams from both sides were working on launching Patriot interceptor production in Ukraine.

The comments follow a meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York earlier this week. The Patriot system is among the most advanced air defence systems in use and is designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy has repeatedly argued that Ukraine needs more interceptors to defend against Russian missile attacks.

The reported licence would matter because it could allow Ukraine to build at least part of the system domestically, rather than relying only on foreign deliveries. That would be a significant development for a country under sustained aerial pressure. The issue has been discussed before.

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At the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara, Trump said Washington would give Ukraine a licence to build the missiles and told Zelenskyy, "We'll show them how to do it." He later appeared to soften that position in late July, saying at a cabinet meeting that the United States had not agreed to it. He said then that transferring such technology was difficult and raised concerns about where it might end up in the future. For Kyiv, the question is not only about weapons supply but also about industrial capacity and long-term resilience.

Domestic production could reduce dependence on external shipments if the plan moves forward, although the details have not been made public. The reported decision also fits into wider discussions between the two leaders about possible de-escalatory steps that could open the way to diplomacy. What remains unclear is the scope of any licence, the timeline for production, and whether the arrangement would cover full missiles or only interceptor components.

It is also not clear how much of the technology would be transferred or what role US teams would play. The next point to watch is whether either government confirms the arrangement in more formal terms and whether any implementation steps are announced.

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