Ukraine Secures U.S. Patriot Missile Production Deal, Zelenskiy Says

Ukraine has reached a political agreement with the United States to obtain licenses for the domestic production of PAC-3 Patriot interceptor missiles, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced after returning from the NATO summit and meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump in Turkey.

The PAC-3 Patriot interceptor is a critical component of the U.S.-made Patriot air defense system and remains one of the few Western weapons capable of intercepting the ballistic missiles Russia has increasingly launched against Ukrainian cities. Zelenskiy said a new package of U.S. military supplies, including key missile components, is expected to arrive within the next few days.

According to Zelenskiy, the political hurdle for local Patriot missile production has been cleared, and technical teams from both countries will now work to finalize licensing arrangements as quickly as possible. He stressed that accelerating production in Ukraine is essential to strengthening the country's air defense capabilities amid continued Russian missile attacks.

Zelenskiy also revealed progress in discussions with Washington on a potential joint drone production initiative. While no final agreement has been signed, he said the two countries have already approved documents allowing the U.S. to receive various Ukrainian-made technologies for testing. These include aerial drones, naval drones, and other advanced defense systems that have attracted U.S. interest.

In addition, Ukraine is working with European allies to develop a new, lower-cost missile defense system designed to counter ballistic threats. Zelenskiy said discussions on the European-led project will take place during a meeting in France in the near future, with the goal of creating a system that offers capabilities similar to the Patriot while being more affordable and easier to manufacture.

The Ukrainian leader described his latest meeting with Trump as constructive, saying the U.S. president expressed a positive attitude toward Ukraine. Zelenskiy added that both sides discussed further diplomatic efforts and defense cooperation. Trump also said he and Zelenskiy have built a strong relationship and believes both Ukraine and Russia want to bring an end to the war, although peace negotiations remain stalled as Russia continues its military offensive and insists Ukraine surrender the remaining parts of the Donetsk region.