Trump Unsure About Letting Ukraine Build Patriot Missiles

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Washington: US President Donald Trump has expressed doubts about allowing Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, saying the United States must be cautious about granting production licences for the advanced air defence system.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Trump described the Patriot missile as an ‘extraordinary weapon’ and said he was ‘not sure’ about permitting Ukraine to produce it locally, adding that the US needed to be careful about who receives such licences.

His remarks came days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Trump at the White House, where the two leaders discussed the possibility of licensing arrangements that would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors domestically.

Ukraine's envoy to Washington said representatives from Raytheon, which manufactures the Patriot system, have already visited the country. She added that Lockheed Martin, which produces the PAC-3 interceptor missiles, is also preparing to send a team of experts to Ukraine.

The report also said Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are expected to visit Ukraine in the coming days, marking their first visit to the country.

Pic Credit: AFP