President Donald Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that the U.S. would extend Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors as the country continues to defend itself against Russia.“We'll give them the right to make Patriots. We'll show them how to do it,” Trump said on day two of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey. “It's very complex, actually, but you'll figure out the complexity quickly.”"It's a defensive weapon, which I like better than an offensive weapon," he added.The verbal assurance of a license commitment was vague, with several key details left unaddressed.Trump said he had not yet informed defense manufacturers of his decision, but expressed hope “that'll work out alright.”Asked whether the United States would immediately provide the air defense systems, Trump said “some” could be sent swiftly, yet emphasized “we have Patriots, but we don't have that many. We need them for ourselves, too.”Insisting that Ukraine will soon be able to produce its own, he added: “Once we explain it, we'll bring the company here. [Ukraine] will work with the company. They have a great ability to produce weapons, pretty complex weapons.”It’s unclear if the missiles would be manufactured in Ukraine or another country.Following his bilateral meeting with Trump, Zelensky said he was “grateful for the strong emphasis placed on strengthening Ukraine’s air defense to better protect people’s lives."In his opening address at the summit Tuesday, Zelensky had called for allies to deliver air defense systems, insisting Ukraine needs U.S.-made interceptors to defend itself against Russia’s ballistic missiles.In a summit declaration published Wednesday, NATO said for 2026, “allies pledge €70 billion in military equipment, assistance, and training for Ukraine and affirm their sovereign commitments to sustaining at least equivalent levels in 2027.”“Allies stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement read.Trump also signaled openness to expanding defense cooperation with Kyiv through a possible deal on buying Ukrainian drones, but he didn’t fully commit to a plan.“Well, we would buy their drones, and we make drones, we make great drones, but they [Ukraine] have an ability to make a lot of them,” he said.David Blagden, an associate professor of international security and strategy at the University of Exeter, tells TIME the summit was undoubtedly a “win for the Ukrainian government.” “Ukraine was suffering from critical shortages of air defenses, so to be able to build some of the best air defenses under license will potentially be a huge advantage in terms of trying to blunt those Russian ballistic missile attacks,” he says.Although Trump’s relationship with several NATO allies has become fractured, he acknowledged his rapport with Zelensky has strengthened since their contentious Oval Office showdown last year.“We've actually developed a good relationship, it's hard to believe, right from the Oval Office to now,” Trump mused.“To be on sufficiently good terms with the Americans again is a huge diplomatic coup for Ukraine,” Blagden tells TIME. “The position on Ukraine has been one of the sticking points within U.S.-European relations within NATO, so to have Trump laughing and joking with [Zelensky] again is a huge step forward.”Prior to the summit, Trump spoke separately with Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. At the NATO summit, he expressed optimism that both leaders wanted to end the war.