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The United States has begun the process of granting Ukraine licenses to produce interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems, moving the initiative from political commitments toward practical implementation, according to the Kyiv Independent, UATV English reports.
Citing a senior Ukrainian official familiar with the matter, the report says U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of Patriot interceptor missiles, supports providing Ukraine with the necessary production licenses.
According to the official, the process is expected to move “faster than anticipated several months ago.”
The report follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on July 8 that Washington would approve Ukraine’s long-standing request to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles under license.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has since called on technical teams and relevant ministries to begin work immediately so that Ukraine can obtain the licenses as quickly as possible and launch production.
At present, Japan and Germany are the only countries outside the United States licensed to manufacture Patriot interceptor missiles.
Reuters previously reported that initial production for Ukraine is expected to take place in Germany or another European country before eventually being transferred to Ukraine after the end of the war.
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