Donald Trump has declined to grant Ukraine rights to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles, citing concerns over the potential future use of sensitive military technology.
According to a New York Times report, Trump had initially indicated a willingness to share production know-how during a July 8 meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara. The U.S. president later reversed that position.
“It is difficult to give away this kind of technology. The people you give technology to may one day turn against you. Therefore, we must be very careful,” Trump said, as quoted by the newspaper.
The Patriot missile system remains central to Ukraine’s air defence network and its primary means of countering Russian ballistic missile attacks. Ukraine has faced intensified strikes in recent months, including the use of ballistic missiles.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly said Kyiv urgently requires enhanced air defence capabilities and additional Patriot interceptors, stressing that Ukraine already has the technical capacity to produce them domestically.
However, global demand for such systems continues to outpace supply. U.S. defence contractors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin face production constraints amid heightened demand.
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies estimates that the United States expended roughly half of its Patriot interceptor stockpile during a recent conflict involving Iran, underscoring pressure on inventories.
By Tamilla Hasanova
