The United States is unlikely to reach an agreement with Ukraine on the joint production of Patriot interceptor missiles before this winter, US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said on Monday, fuelling uncertainty over the most critical aspect of Kyiv’s air defences.
“A long-term production agreement will not be concluded before this winter. So we will continue working on it,” Whitaker said in a Fox News interview, stressing that PAC-3 Patriot interceptors remain tightly controlled under US export rules, meaning the scope for rapid licensing is limited.
“We do not allow anybody but US manufacturers to make those in the United States,” he said.
At the same time, Whitaker pointed to broader defence-industrial cooperation under discussion with Ukraine and European allies.
“There are co-production opportunities that we can do with the Ukrainians, that we can do with the Europeans, to increase the industrial base and support the defence of Ukraine and the defence of Europe,” he said.
