From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Trump says Ukraine can make Patriot missiles
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US President Donald Trump said earlier today that Washington will grant Kyiv “the right to make” prized Patriot air-defense systems to repel deadly Russian strikes, without providing a timeline for the pledge.
Ukraine has been struggling to down Russian ballistic missiles since this year’s US-Israeli war against Iran hit supplies of the crucial US-made Patriot interceptors.
“So one of the things we’re going to be talking about is we’re going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That’s pretty cool, right?” Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.
“We haven’t informed the company of that yet, but that’ll work out all right,” he said, without elaborating.
Russia’s latest missile and drone strikes on Wednesday killed 10 people across Ukraine, including three in the capital Kyiv, local officials said.
Given the lengthy production times, the license to make the Patriot, one of the world’s most sophisticated air defense missiles, may not immediately solve Ukraine’s problems.
Trump said that those strikes could help to end the war.
“It’s an escalation, but it’s also an escalation that can help lead to an end,” Trump said.
Trump and Zelensky appeared to strike a more cordial tone at the meeting, marking a departure from the acrimonious clash in the Oval Office last year.
“It’s hard to believe, from the Oval Office to now, we’ve developed a very good relationship,” the US president said.
The Times of Israel Community.