Zelenskyy asked the US for a license to produce Patriot missiles
Defence Express. фото з відкритих джерел
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked the United States to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles. According to him, this will help increase the production of anti-ballistic missiles and strengthen the security of not only Ukraine, but also other states.
He spoke about this in an interview with Face the Nation .
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he had sent a letter to the White House and the US Congress with a request to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles . He noted that the current production of anti-ballistic missiles in the US does not meet modern challenges, while Russia is increasing its own production of ballistic missiles.
“I sent a letter to the White House and the US Congress. I hope they understand and respond. 60-65 anti-ballistic missiles per month compared to the current challenges is nothing. It’s no secret, and Russia knows it. We need to expand production,” the president said.
According to Zelensky, he made a similar request to both the previous and current US administrations.
“We can increase the production of Patriot missiles. It will help us. It will help the Middle East and any other country that the United States decides to help. Until we produce a European anti-ballistic missile system, we will need the support of the United States,” the president emphasized.
The head of state also reported that Ukraine had proposed to the United States to conclude the first bilateral Drone Deal . According to him, the American side expressed interest in testing Ukrainian unmanned systems, but the parties have not yet signed the relevant framework agreement.
“The US wanted to test all types of our drones. We agreed on how they wanted to test, use for training, and apply our systems in the air, on the ground, and at sea. But we still don’t have a bilateral Drone Deal – a large framework document,” Zelenskyy noted.
The President added that Ukraine already has similar agreements with individual countries in the Middle East and Europe, and is also preparing a large-scale Drone Deal with the European Union.
“I hope we will reach the same agreement with our American partners. I am counting on it. American companies have advanced AI technologies that we do not have. In return, we have a lot that they do not have, thanks to our significant experience on the battlefield,” the president said.
Zelenskyy emphasized that such cooperation could become one of the most powerful in the world in its field.
“We need to negotiate, not just talk about it. Take the necessary steps and do it as soon as possible. To do that, we need President Trump to say ‘yes,’” the president concluded.
Earlier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Ukraine has a significant shortage of Patriot missiles . He described the shortage as “it couldn’t be worse.”
It is worth adding that since the start of the war against Iran on February 28, the United States has lost almost 50% of its stock of Patriot missiles and about 45% of its precision missiles.
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