Trump gives Ukraine green light to manufacture Patriot missiles

Floyd Brenz., Philippine Canadian Inquirer
September 26, 2026

Photo Courtesy: Getty Images

U.S. President Donald Trump has given Ukraine the go-ahead to manufacture Patriot air defense missiles, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, potentially allowing Kyiv to produce the U.S.-made interceptors domestically.

Zelensky said Trump told him during their recent meeting in New York that he had made a final decision to grant Ukraine licenses to produce the Patriot missiles. The announcement comes after months of discussions over whether Washington would allow Ukraine to manufacture the system.

The move could eventually help Ukraine address shortages of Patriot interceptors as it continues defending against Russian missile and drone attacks. Zelensky has repeatedly identified the Patriot system as a critical part of Ukraine’s air defense.

However, the licensing decision would not mean Ukraine can immediately begin mass-producing the missiles. Technical arrangements, technology transfers and production requirements still have to be worked out, while building the necessary manufacturing capacity could take time.

Trump had previously said in July that Ukraine would be given the right to make Patriots, describing the system as highly complex but saying Ukrainian production could eventually help shorten waiting times for the weapons.

For Kyiv, the decision could mark a shift from relying primarily on foreign deliveries toward developing a longer-term domestic capacity for producing one of the weapons it considers essential to protecting its cities and infrastructure.