Trump announces Patriot missile production in Ukraine amid NATO aid package

US President Donald Trump has announced that Washington intends to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense missiles on its own soil. The statement came after a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara, where allies also agreed on a comprehensive military aid package for Ukraine totaling €140 billion.

Trump said the US was willing to provide any necessary support for the production effort, which would make Ukraine the third country in the world — after Japan and Germany — granted the right to build the missiles. The weapons are considered crucial for defending against Russian ballistic attacks, and Ukrainian stockpiles have been reported as running low; the Ukrainian Air Force was unable to shoot down a single Russian missile during a massive attack on July 6, according to a report by Deutsche Welle.

Military expert Oleh Katkov, editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian media and consulting company Defense Express, called the decision "historic" but cautioned that moving from political declarations to actual production would take years. "That's really great, it's a historic moment," Katkov told Deutsche Welle. "But it's important to realize that a process like this doesn't take just a few days or weeks. Despite its industry, skills, and expertise, it took Japan two years from" — the quote continues, underscoring the extended timeline.

Trump also expressed interest in buying Ukrainian drones, a shift from his earlier dismissal of the country's defense industry. He praised Ukraine's extensive drone manufacturing capabilities, calling it "amazing" that Ukraine was still able to build drones "in a war situation." According to Deutsche Welle, Ukrainian drone expertise is widely sought after, and numerous countries signed drone agreements with Ukraine at the recent Ankara summit.

Separately, Trump and Zelenskyy discussed the US-Ukraine mineral resources agreement signed on April 30, 2025. Trump stated that the United States effectively received a share of Ukrainian land through the deal, saying, "We have a little stake in that country now, because we have some land in that country, but we have minerals." He described Ukrainian lands as "the best land anywhere in the world for rare earth" and said he looked forward to taking advantage of it "at the right time."

The agreement established a bilateral investment fund, into which Kiev will contribute 50% of all revenues from new rents and new mineral extraction licenses in new areas, as reported by TASS. The Verkhovna Rada ratified the agreement on May 8, 2025, despite dissatisfaction among some parliamentarians who noted that the document meant Kiev would lose part of its economic sovereignty and lacked security guarantees. Two additional documents mentioned in the main agreement were not presented to the Rada, according to TASS. On September 17, 2025, the United States made its first contribution of $75 million to the fund.

In early 2026, Trump expressed confidence that, thanks to the mineral resources agreement, Washington would be able to recoup all funds spent on supporting Kyiv and generate even greater revenues, TASS reported.

Key Claims

  • NATO aid package: Allies agreed on a comprehensive military aid package for Ukraine totaling €140 billion at the Ankara summit (reported by Deutsche Welle).
  • Patriot production license: Trump announced the US intends to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles; Ukraine would be the third country after Japan and Germany to do so (reported by Deutsche Welle).
  • Production timeline: Military expert Oleh Katkov said the process will take years, citing Japan's two-year experience (reported by Deutsche Welle).
  • Drone purchase interest: Trump said he wants to buy Ukrainian drones and praised Ukraine's drone manufacturing (reported by Deutsche Welle).
  • Minerals deal: The US and Ukraine signed a mineral resources agreement on April 30, 2025; the deal created a bilateral investment fund with Kiev contributing 50% of revenues from new rents and extraction licenses (reported by TASS).
  • Ratification and contribution: The Verkhovna Rada ratified the agreement on May 8, 2025; the US made its first $75 million contribution on September 17, 2025 (reported by TASS).
  • Trump's statements on minerals: Trump said the US has a stake in Ukraine due to the deal and expressed confidence in recouping funds (reported by TASS).