Zelensky Secures Trump’s Nod for Patriot Missile Production in US Visit

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with US President Donald Trump in Washington DC, where Trump agreed to grant Ukraine licences for domestic production of Patriot missile systems, Zelensky told Fox News. The White House has not officially commented on the claim.

During his visit, Zelensky also met with executives from Lockheed Martin, the US defence manufacturer that produces the Patriot system. In a post on X, Zelensky said they discussed joint capabilities and are working on specific solutions to move to joint production as quickly as possible.

Zelensky later travelled to the US Capitol for a closed-door meeting with dozens of senators ahead of a vote on a new sanctions package against Russia. After the meeting, he told reporters that passing the sanctions bill would send a strong signal of support to Ukraine and Europe. He was then seated in the Senate chamber as lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to advance the bill, which was co-authored by the late Senator Graham. The bill still requires final approval from the Senate and then the House of Representatives, which is in recess until September.

The Patriot is one of the few air defence systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Russia has increasingly used against Ukrainian cities. It can track up to eight targets simultaneously and detect over 100, but each missile costs an estimated $3–5 million. Ukraine has previously stated it needs 25 Patriot systems.

Domestic production of Patriots could help bolster Ukraine's military capacity and support Zelensky's approval rating, which has faced recent protests over his decision to replace a popular defence minister. However, questions remain about where Ukraine could produce the systems away from Russian surveillance and whether it can be done quickly enough to affect the conflict.