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Zelensky says Patriot missile licenses agreed with US at political level

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Ukraine and the US have reached a political agreement on licenses for Patriot missile production.
  • President Zelensky stated that key missile supplies are expected in the coming days.
  • Discussions are also underway for joint drone production and a separate European anti-missile system.

Ukraine and the United States have achieved a political agreement on licenses for the production of PAC-3 Patriot interceptors, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Thursday. This development comes as Ukraine faces continued ballistic missile assaults from Russia.

Zelensky stated that crucial supplies of these interceptors, vital for downing Russian ballistic missiles, are scheduled to arrive within the next few days. He emphasized that the issue had been "resolved politically" and stressed the importance of technical teams immediately beginning work to secure licenses and initiate production in Ukraine as soon as possible.

We resolved this issue politically. It's now very important that our technical teams, all our representatives from different ministries, representatives of the executive branch, start working on this without delay, so that we can get licenses very quickly and start production in Ukraine as soon as possible.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyOn the agreement for Patriot missile production licenses.

Following talks with US President Donald Trump at a NATO summit in Turkey, Zelensky also indicated progress on a "drone deal" or joint drone production. While no formal drone deal has been signed, agreements are in place for the US to acquire various types of Ukrainian drones, including aerial and marine models, for testing.

I believe this was a productive summit for Ukraine. In the coming days, we’ll receive a package from the United States, and there were also some separate agreements.

— Volodymyr ZelenskyReflecting on the outcomes of the NATO summit and bilateral talks.

Furthermore, Ukraine is pursuing a separate anti-missile system with its European allies. Zelensky mentioned plans for a meeting in France soon to discuss this initiative, describing it as a "European model" that is more mass-produced and cheaper than the Patriot system, designed for ballistic targets.

Zelensky expressed optimism about his country's engagements, noting that Trump is now "positive about Ukraine." The president has consistently advocated for accelerated delivery of air defense systems to counter recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities.

The Trump Administration has no higher priority than the safety and security of Americans.

— US State Department spokespersonReferencing a previous statement regarding US citizen safety abroad.
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Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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