NATO members agreed a comprehensive military aid package for Ukraine totaling €140 billion at their recent Ankara summit. In addition, after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump announced that he intends to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air defense missiles on its own soil.
These missiles are crucial for defending the country against Russian ballistic attacks. It has been reported that Ukrainian Patriot missiles stockpiles are running low. Indeed, the Ukrainian Air Force was unable to shoot down a single Russian missile during the massive attack on July 6.
The US intends to share its Patriot technology with Ukraine and grant it the right to produce the air defense missiles, Trump said. He also said the US was willing to provide any necessary support.
Trump also said he wants to buy Ukrainian drones, marking a complete reversal in his attitude toward Ukraine's defense industry, which he had previously dismissed. Now, however, he praised the country's extensive drone manufacturing capabilities.
He called it "amazing" that Ukraine was still able to build drones "in a war situation." Ukrainian drone expertise is widely sought after, including in Europe, and numerous countries signed drone agreements with Ukraine at the recent Ankara summit.Patriot systems are highly effective at downing enemy missilesImage: Bernd Wüstneck/dpa/picture alliance
