US continuing talk with Ukraine on Patriot missile manufacture, despite Trump casting doubt on deal

The United States is persisting with negotiations concerning the possibility of Ukraine manufacturing Patriot interceptor missiles, notwithstanding former President Donald Trump's skepticism about such an arrangement, according to four sources acquainted with the deliberations. These talks entail the prospect of Ukraine fabricating certain components, which could then be assembled in European countries.

Kyiv has been in urgent need of more PAC-3 Patriots, the most advanced variant of these interceptors, which are among the few capable of countering Russia's escalating missile barrages.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky underscored on Saturday that his nation had exhausted its stock of Patriot interceptors, and that only one among 27 ballistic missiles fired by Russia that day had been neutralized. During a meeting with Zelensky in Ankara, Turkey, last month, Trump had pledged to grant Ukraine a license to produce PAC-3s.

However, in a recent interview with reporters, he appeared to have altered his stance after a contentious encounter with Zelensky at the White House. He cautioned that the United States must exercise caution regarding the potential for Ukraine to manufacture these missiles and stressed the importance of being careful.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's persistent demand for the domestic production of interceptors, a crucial component of the Patriot system, has been largely overlooked by Washington owing to security apprehensions voiced by industry executives and US military officials. Matthew Whitaker, the US envoy to NATO, is currently spearheading the efforts to conclude an agreement, having visited Kyiv last month to discuss the matter and explore various options with Ukrainian officials and weapon industry executives. The White House declined to comment on the matter.

The options being deliberated encompass the fabrication of Patriot components within Ukraine, followed by their shipment to Germany for final assembly, integrating Ukraine into an existing US-European Patriot interceptor program, and permitting Kyiv to manufacture a reduced version of PAC-3. These possibilities are under serious consideration.

The prevailing choice, according to a US official, would likely be the production of components in Ukraine and their assembly in Germany – a process already in place for an older version of the Patriot missile, which is manufactured in Germany.

Despite the potential delay of a year or more before Ukraine commences receiving new missiles post any manufacturing agreement, Kyiv is still in dire need of arms to meet its immediate requirements. Thus, the country is seeking to acquire additional missiles from its allies and even entertain the notion of purchasing PAC-3 interceptors from Lockheed Martin, a prominent defense contractor, and potentially swapping deliveries with other nations for expedited delivery.

Nonetheless, a spokeswoman for Lockheed Martin declined to comment on the issue. US officials acknowledged that discussions about licensing US weapon production in Europe gained momentum following Russia's 2022 invasion, which exposed weaknesses in European arsenals, with several such deals already finalized. The feasibility of these agreements is acknowledged, albeit not without challenges, as production typically commences only after a licensing deal is signed, spanning a period of three to seven years.