Former US President Donald Trump has expressed uncertainty over whether he will authorize Ukraine to produce Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles, casting doubt on one of Kyiv’s key defense priorities amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
In a phone interview conducted on Thursday, Trump said he was "not sure" if Washington would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot missile system, a critical component in Ukraine’s efforts to intercept Russian ballistic missile attacks targeting cities such as Kyiv. He described the weapon as “very extraordinary” and cautioned about the need for careful consideration regarding licensing such equipment.
The comments came two days after Trump’s White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during which Zelenskyy said they had discussed the possibility of Ukraine producing the missiles, describing the meeting as "good." Following the session, Zelenskyy indicated that Trump had accepted the idea of providing the license. This marked a notable development, given that Trump had earlier signaled at a NATO summit in Turkey in July that such a license would be granted.
Despite Zelenskyy’s statements, Trump’s later remarks introduced new ambiguity. He emphasized that his primary focus remained on ending the war between Russia and Ukraine, stating, “Very simply put, we want the war in Ukraine with Russia ended. I’m not looking for missiles. We’re looking for peace.” He mentioned that his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, were scheduled to visit Ukraine shortly to engage with the situation firsthand.
On another front, Trump commented on regional tensions, asserting that despite recent Iranian actions aimed at expanding the conflict in the Middle East, Tehran would eventually relent. “We are beating the hell out of them,” he asserted, referring to the United States' stance on Iran.
Trump also expressed optimism regarding a recently unveiled civil nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, which he linked to the kingdom’s potential normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel. He stated that he had spoken to both Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about this prospect, describing it as something “both countries like very much” and suggesting it “could happen.”
In addition to these international issues, Trump praised the United Kingdom’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, for adopting what he called a “pragmatic” approach to developing North Sea oil resources. Trump indicated in their recent conversation that Burnham appears committed to boosting the UK’s economic position through expanded energy exploration, in contrast to the previous government led by Sir Keir Starmer.
The evolving US stance on the Patriot missile licensing underscores ongoing deliberations within Washington regarding the scope of military support for Ukraine, as well as broader geopolitical considerations involving the Middle East and transatlantic relations.