Trump grants Ukraine licence to build Patriot missiles, Zelenskyy says

President Donald Trump has made a final decision to grant Ukraine a licence to produce Patriot missiles domestically, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday. Zelenskyy said Trump informed him of the decision during their meeting this week at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where they also discussed potential de-escalatory steps to open the way for diplomacy. Kyiv has long argued that domestic production of the interceptors is crucial to defending against Russian ballistic missile attacks. Trump had previously promised the licence at the 2026 NATO summit in Ankara but walked back the pledge in late July, citing concerns about sharing sensitive technology. The Patriot system is one of the world's most advanced air defences, providing coverage against incoming ballistic missiles for roughly 15 to 20 kilometres.