The United States decided against licensing localized production of interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems in European countries, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
Zelenskyy made the remark in his evening video address, summarizing his meeting with Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on ensuring consistent supply of anti-air missiles from abroad. Ukraine plans a series of negotiations and meetings in the coming weeks on the matter, he said.
“We will also talk about the need for Europe to have its own production of air‑defense missiles, all the types that are needed,” said Zelenskyy.
“There are already some steps: building and expanding production. But the speed of that work is still insufficient. The potential production volumes also need to be increased.”
Zelenskyy recalled that Ukraine had discussed with the United States several years ago the need to establish localized missile production in Europe, including for the Patriot air defense systems.
“There were promises of licenses, but America ultimately did not go along with it,” the president said.
“Although we offered production in Ukraine or joint production with NATO partners in the region: with Romania, with Poland, and others.”
He added that dramatically expanding anti-air missile output is a key step towards deterring the threat Russian poses to “all of us, all of Europe.”
