Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that US President Donald Trump has made a “final decision” to allow Ukraine to obtain a licence to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, a move Ukraine has long sought as Russian attacks continue.
“There are concrete agreements in place,” Zelensky told reporters. He said that during their latest meeting, Trump emphasised that Zelensky had been granted approval for Ukraine to receive the licence to build Patriot missiles.
Trump Decision On Patriot Licence
Zelensky said the announcement followed discussions between the two leaders during the United Nations General Assembly in New York this week. The Ukrainian president also used the occasion to criticise Russia’s leadership, describing Vladimir Putin as “patient zero” and saying that the more freedom Putin has to act, the more dangerous the world becomes.
The prospect of Ukraine gaining permission to produce Patriot interceptors has been under scrutiny for months. Trump had suggested in July, on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Turkey, that Ukraine would be able to manufacture the systems. Zelensky later said weeks passed with no clarity, after which Trump’s position appeared to cool.
CNN reported it had contacted the White House for comment about the latest developments.
Ukraine Faces Ballistic Missile Threat
Patriot interceptors are among the few systems considered capable of tackling ballistic missiles. Ukraine has argued that expanding access to interceptors is critical as a global supply crunch has pushed many countries to prioritise their own stockpiles, leaving fewer rounds available for Kyiv.
Russia has used the gap to increase pressure, stepping up ballistic attacks and carrying out near-continuous aerial strikes against Ukraine for about a month.
Without Patriot defences, Ukraine has struggled to limit the impact of the attacks and the death toll among civilians has risen.
On Friday, Kyiv’s mayor said five civilians, including a teenager, were killed and 31 others were injured in a series of daytime drone strikes on the capital.
In an August interview with CNN, Zelensky said Ukraine currently has only about a tenth of the interceptor missiles it needs to respond to the intensified Russian assault. He added that having access to 5% of the US stockpile would, in his view, be enough to protect Ukraine through the winter, while 10% would be sufficient to eliminate Russia’s ballistic missile capability.
US Proposed Three-Way Talks
Zelensky also said Washington had proposed organising three-way talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States.
“Regarding the trilateral meeting, the US side proposed organizing it,” he said, adding that no date had been agreed. Zelensky said the US suggested the United Arab Emirates as the venue.
He said Ukraine would brief European partners and discuss the details with them. He added that the Americans would speak to the Russians and that Ukraine expected to return within ten days with “a particular perspective and a result”.
Russia has not committed to trilateral discussions, saying only that they could happen “soon”.
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25 September 2026
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