President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine will partner with U.S. firm Raytheon to produce Patriot air defense interceptors, a key weapon against Russian ballistic missiles. The agreement follows talks with President Trump at the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump pledged a production license.
Ukrainian officials target capacity by late 2026, though experts note challenges like supply chains and timelines that could extend to 2029. Supporters call it a major step toward self-reliance as global stockpiles dwindle.
Ukraine and the United States are already discussing the joint production of interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system, according to a statement by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy met with a team from Raytheon on July 23, led by Vice President Joseph DeAntona.
“Raytheon is a very strong defense company, and Ukraine has long relied on its equipment to protect our people from brutal Russian attacks,” he said.
The president thanked the company for its willingness to take its partnership with Ukraine to a new level.
“Ukraine will jointly produce some of the most important air defense assets with Raytheon — interceptor missiles for the Patriot system. President Trump and I discussed this in Ankara, and now is the time to move forward with it,” Zelenskyy said.
The two sides also discussed other areas of cooperation involving non-offensive military equipment.
“Our teams — both at the government level and from the private sector — will remain in contact to finalize all the details. I thank the United States for its support of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
The United States has several plans aimed at ending the war. A meeting between Ukrainian and US officials is expected to take place in the United Statesin the near future.
Companies involved in producing Patriot interceptor missiles are still in the early stages of assessing the possibility of building facilities in Ukraine.
Ukrainian specialists could begin manufacturing missiles for some of the country’s most important air defense systems as early as this year, with agreements already reached with several countries.
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