President Donald Trump said the United States will grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot air defence systems, a potentially significant shift from supplying Kyiv with American-made weapons to enabling Ukraine to produce them itself. He made the remarks on Wednesday during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, held alongside the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara, Turkey, as Ukraine continues to press Western allies for more air defence capability against Russian missile and drone attacks.

Patriot interceptors have become one of Ukraine's most urgent military needs, being widely regarded as its most capable defence against Russian ballistic missiles and central to protecting Kyiv and critical infrastructure. Trump framed the Patriot as a defensive weapon he favours, telling Zelenskyy the arrangement meant Ukraine "can't complain that we're not giving them enough". He acknowledged, however, that the manufacturer had not yet been informed of the plan, adding that he was sure the company "will be thrilled" and that the details would be worked out.