ANKARA, July 8 - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States will issue a license enabling Ukraine to produce Patriot surface-to-air missiles, making the announcement during a face-to-face meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the NATO summit in Ankara.
"We s going to give a license to you to make Patriots," Trump said, addressing Zelenskiy during the bilateral discussion. Zelenskiy has repeatedly appealed for the U.S.-made interceptors - which, according to statements at the meeting, are the only weapon in Ukraine s inventory capable of intercepting ballistic projectiles. Those projectiles are described as difficult to stop because of their high velocity and steep flight path.
Zelenskiy had been expected to raise the issue of interceptors with Trump, and the Ukrainian president indicated he came prepared to discuss the matter in depth. Before the meeting concluded Zelenskiy said he wanted to go over "some very important details" with Trump and added: "I m sure you will do everything to stop this war."
Trump framed the conflict as one that both sides would prefer to see resolved, but he characterized the two leaders involved as challenging negotiators. "We ve settled a lot of wars, and this one is the one that I thought maybe would be the easiest, but Putin is a difficult character, and this guy s a difficult character," Trump said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskiy, who was seated beside him.
The announcement comes amid an escalation in Russian air operations, while Moscow s ground advances have reportedly largely stalled. Ukrainian attacks on Russian military logistics and on parts of the oil industry have been cited as factors that contributed to widespread fuel shortages.
Officials also reported that Russia fired ballistic missiles at Kyiv again overnight on Tuesday into Wednesday, marking a third attack on the Ukrainian capital in under a week. Those strikes have exploited Ukraine s critical shortage of U.S.-made air-defence interceptors, the same systems Zelenskiy has been urging his partners to provide or enable.
Key points
- The United States will provide a license allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles, announced by President Trump during a meeting with President Zelenskiy in Ankara.
- Zelenskiy has repeatedly asked for U.S.-made interceptors, which are described as the only system in Ukraine s arsenal capable of shooting down ballistic projectiles that are difficult to stop due to high velocity and steep flight paths.
- Russia has intensified air strikes, including repeated ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, while Ukrainian ground operations have targeted Russian logistics and oil infrastructure, contributing to fuel shortages.
Risks and uncertainties
- Continued ballistic missile attacks on major population centers and infrastructure - this affects defence and civilian infrastructure sectors and can pressure regional markets.
- Escalation in air operations amid stalled ground advances - this creates uncertainty for energy supply chains and the oil sector due to reported attacks on oil industry facilities.
- Ukraine s critical shortage of U.S.-made interceptors - a defence-sector constraint that has immediate operational implications and influences military procurement and allied support decisions.
The meeting in Ankara highlighted both an operational response - the planned licensing for Patriot missile production - and the political challenge of negotiating an end to the conflict. Both leaders signaled a willingness to see the war conclude even as they acknowledged obstacles posed by leadership dynamics and ongoing military pressures.