Trump says he will let Ukraine make Patriot missiles

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held their closely watched bilateral meeting on Wednesday at the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump announced the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors — a major concession to Kyiv's air defense needs as Russian aerial attacks intensify.

Patriot Production and War Optimism

Bloomberg reported that Trump told reporters he would give Ukraine the license to produce Patriot missile systems, calling the system "elite equipment." The announcement came after Zelenskyy had publicly pushed for access to American air defense production capabilities in the days leading up to the summit, as Ukraine faces what ABC News described as "an urgent ammunition shortfall."abcnews+1

The meeting took place at the Bestepe Presidential Complex at 2:30 p.m. local time, following the North Atlantic Council session earlier in the day. Trump had expressed optimism about the war's trajectory a day earlier during a bilateral meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, telling reporters, "I think we're going to get it settled, hopefully soon."pravda+2

"They both want to get it settled now," Trump said on Tuesday, adding that he had spoken to both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelenskyy. "That's all I do in my life is deals, I know deals."usnews+1

Zelenskyy Pushes for Sanctions

Zelenskyy used his time at the summit to press for additional sanctions pressure on Russia. According to Interfax-Ukraine, the Ukrainian president discussed tightening sanctions on Russia's war machine during meetings with a bipartisan U.S. Congressional delegation in Ankara. A statement from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmed the discussions focused on "tightening sanctions on Russia's war machine."interfax+1

The Ukrainian leader also met with the president of South Korea, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and members of the U.S. Congress on the summit's sidelines, describing the results as constructive and pointing to the formation of what he called "an anti-ballistic coalition."english.nv+1

Broader Summit Tensions

The Trump-Zelenskyy meeting took place against a turbulent backdrop. Trump used the summit to clash with allies over Greenland, calling on Denmark to cede control of the territory, and attacked Spain as "a terrible partner" over its refusal to support U.S. actions against Iran. He also announced the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Turkey during his meeting with Erdogan.reuters+1

Before arriving in Ankara, Trump had said a Ukraine deal was "getting closer than people realise," according to Reuters. Whether the Patriot production license and renewed diplomatic engagement will translate into concrete progress toward ending the war remains the summit's unresolved question.chronicle