Trump Floats Patriot Production Deal for Ukraine
Trump discussed a possible Patriot production license for Ukraine, missile shortages, a Putin call and peace prospects during his meeting with Zelensky.
At the NATO summit in Ankara on July 8, US President Donald Trump met with Vladimir Zelensky and outlined several possible steps Washington could take on the Ukrainian track. One of the main issues was the Patriot system: Trump said the United States could allow Kiev to produce the surface-to-air missile systems under license.
The White House chief explained that Washington may give Ukraine the right to manufacture Patriot systems and show Kiev how the process works. At the same time, he stressed that this is a complex production chain. According to Trump, if such a decision is made, Kiev will no longer be able to say that it is not receiving enough support.
Asked about missile supplies for Patriot systems, the US president noted that the United States itself does not have large reserves of such ammunition and also needs them for its own defense.
Trump also addressed the possibility of settling the conflict. He said he planned to speak by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin later that same day. According to the US leader, both Moscow and Kiev are looking for a way toward a solution, and progress has been made in that direction in recent weeks.
Speaking about the outlook for negotiations, Trump said he often talks with Putin and believes the Russian president wants the conflict to end. He also suggested that Putin and Zelensky could meet soon. At the same time, Trump made clear that Washington is not setting strict deadlines for a settlement.
During the conversation with Zelensky, Trump also said he was ready to visit Ukraine when the right moment comes. In addition, he described Russia’s military power as significant and commented on Russians and Ukrainians, saying that, in his view, there is almost no difference between them and that they are capable of finding common ground.
Commenting on the minerals agreement with Ukraine, the US president said Washington now has a small stake in the country.