Big win for Zelensky? Trump announces Patriot production license for Ukraine

US President Donald Trump, on Wednesday at the NATO summit in Turkey, said that the US will grant Ukraine a license to manufacture the Patriot air defence system. Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Ankara, Trump said they will be discussing “the right to make Patriots”, referring to the long‑range air defence missiles.

He also said that “We’ll show them how to do it,” suggesting that it was “very complex” but that Ukraine would be able to figure it out quickly. He added that the US industries were building “four plants” and added that “all of our companies will be able to do this in two to three months”, comparing it with the lengthy delivery time of the long-range missile defence systems.

This comes after months of lobbying from Kyiv to acquire the production license from Washington. "I asked the previous administration, I am asking today's administration, give Ukraine licenses," said Zelensky back in May while pitching the idea to the US. “We will increase the production of Patriot missiles. It will be very helpful for us, it will be very helpful for the Middle East, for everybody whom the United States will decide to help.”

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Trump also blabbed a lot. He called Iran the “Islamic Republic of Japan” while referring to Zelenskyy as “President Putin”.

Sitting next to Zelensky, Trump continued his quips at Zelensky, "You have two kids in a park, and they don't like each other, and they start fighting. Sometimes you have to let them fight. Let them see that it's tough. Fighting is tough." He then added that he has developed a good relationship with Ukraine. He claimed that Ukraine has a great future. "Such a beautiful land. Such great assets. Such wonderful people.”

Trump expressed his understanding of the Russian President Vladimir Putin, showing sympathy for the state, “It's been tough on Russia.” He claimed that Putin is feeling the pressure, and he also wants the war to end. He supported the Ukrainian strike on Russian oil infrastructure, suggesting that these strikes could end the war. He said that both Ukrainian President Zelensky and Russian President Putin want to see a settlement to end the war, following a highly successful NATO meeting. “He wants to see a settlement. And I think President Putin wants to see a settlement, and usually that means a settlement,” said Trump. “This is, this is a tough one, but I just, you know, we just had our NATO meeting, and it was a great meeting.”