U.S. President Donald Trump, responding to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's request for hundreds of additional Patriot missiles amid a shortage, cited dwindling U.S. stocks and the need for them amid the war with Iran, the Financial Times reports, writes UNN.
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According to the publication, "the shortage of interceptor missiles has become intertwined with political uncertainty in Washington, where U.S. President Donald Trump has cast doubt on plans to allow Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles domestically and in Europe."
"We are looking at that issue," Trump said in an interview with the Financial Times on Friday. "It's a very unusual weapon, and... we have to be a little careful who we give licenses to. We don't actually license the equipment."
Kyiv argued that domestic production would help reduce the serious shortage and strengthen its ability to defend itself against Russia's air campaign. But even if a license is granted, experts say it would likely take years before the first interceptor comes off the production line.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told Fox News on Monday that "a long-term production agreement will not be concluded by this winter. So we will continue working on it."
"During a meeting in the Oval Office last week, Trump also rejected Zelenskyy's request for hundreds of additional Patriot interceptor missiles," according to people familiar with the negotiations.
"The people said that Trump cited the shortage of U.S. stocks and said they were needed to protect U.S. assets in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf countries in the war with Iran," the FT publication said.
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