President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he will grant Ukraine a license to produce its own PAC-3 Patriot Missiles, making good on a long-standing request of President Volodymyr Zelensky in their yearslong defense against a Russian invasion.
Trump and Zelensky met on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday. The pair jointly addressed the media, where Trump made his announcement.
“A little birdie told me this about the fact that we’ll give them the right to make Patriots, we’ll show them how to do it. It’s very complex, actually, but you’ll figure out the complexity quickly, and we’re talking about that,” the president, seated next to Zelensky, told reporters at the top of their bilateral meeting.
“This way, he can’t complain that we’re not giving him enough. I said, ‘Make it yourself,’” Trump added, noting that he had yet to inform Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the weapons system, but added that “they’ll be thrilled.”
“Most countries couldn’t do that,” he continued, referencing Ukraine’s rapidly built military industrial base. “If I said that to most countries, they wouldn’t know what I’m talking about. But this is a very ingenious group, and what I like about that — it’s a defensive situation, as opposed to an offensive.”
Zelensky also hinted at the prospect of signing a drone deal with the United States and other NATO countries. Later in their press appearance, Trump said he would be open to purchasing Ukrainian drone technologies.
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Though Trump has declined to provide Ukraine the same level of direct military support offered by former President Joe Biden, administration officials previously told the Washington Examiner that the president and his advisers have been impressed by Ukraine’s defensive output and military capabilities in recent months.
In January, the Department of War announced a plan to expand munitions production and procurement, including for the PAC-3. The president added on Wednesday that he was considering supplying Ukraine with additional Patriots until it is able to produce its own supply, though he clarified that he believes the country would quickly be able to do it on its own.