US makes discouraging statement on Patriot licenses for Ukraine
Photo: US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker (Getty Images)
Ukraine will not receive a license to produce interceptors for Patriot air defense systems anytime soon. The United States says negotiations are still underway, but an agreement is unlikely to be reached before the start of winter, according to comments by US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker on Fox News.
According to the diplomat, the issue primarily concerns PAC-3 missiles for Patriot air defense systems, whose export is tightly controlled by the United States.
"We do not allow anybody but US manufacturers to make those in the United States," Whitaker explained.
At the same time, he stressed that the US is exploring other forms of cooperation with Ukraine and its European partners.
"There are co-production opportunities that we can do with the Ukrainians, that we could do with the Europeans to increase the industrial base and support the defense of Ukraine and defense of Europe," the US envoy added.
Where the negotiations stand
According to Whitaker, the parties have already discussed these opportunities during meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukrainian officials in Kyiv, and companies that hold the necessary technologies.
"We are working on some of those deals," Whitaker said. "I believe we are moving forward."
However, he emphasized that the negotiations will not be completed and a long-term agreement will not be reached before the start of winter.
"A long-term production deal is not going to be by this winter," the diplomat said.
What is the current priority?
According to Whitaker, the immediate priority is to provide Ukraine with air defense capabilities as quickly as possible. This includes both the transfer of missiles from allies with surplus stockpiles and efforts to increase production at US facilities.
He also noted that Washington is taking into account the risks associated with protecting sensitive military technologies that could potentially fall into the hands of adversaries.
How talks on Patriot production are progressing
During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington in late July, US President Donald Trump said he was prepared to allow Ukraine to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems under license.
However, just a few days later, he clarified that no final decision had been made. According to Trump, the United States must be "very careful about sharing the secrets of these weapons."
Later, US Representative Mike Turner confirmed that Washington and Kyiv continue to discuss the possible transfer of Patriot production technology.
He urged the US president and the Pentagon to accelerate the process, stressing that such technologies are critical to strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities.
