President Donald Trump’s proposal to help Ukraine manufacture Patriot air defense missiles signals a significant shift in Washington and a growing recognition that Ukraine’s security directly serves US and broader Western interests, former US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried told the Kyiv Post. While welcoming the initiative, the veteran diplomat cautioned that its success will depend on how quickly Washington and Kyiv can move from a high-level political announcement to practical industrial implementation.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. “It is an excellent idea,” Fried said. “President Trump is recognizing that Ukraine’s ability to defend itself is in the US interest, which is true. The stronger Ukraine is, the better off Europe is, and the better off the free world is.” Fried highlighted Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz’s swift endorsement of the proposal, including Warsaw’s offer of technical assistance, as an important development. “Poland has some of the technology needed and wants to get this production up and running very quickly,” he noted, describing Warsaw’s support as especially encouraging amid recent political tensions between Poland and Ukraine. He also pointed to Germany’s efforts to expand Patriot production capacity but stressed that Ukraine cannot afford a similarly lengthy timetable.