Trump Grants Zelensky 'Final Decision' on Patriot Missile Licenses for Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that Donald Trump has made a "final decision" to grant Ukraine licenses needed to produce Patriot air defense missiles, which Kyiv seeks to counter Russian ballistic missiles. Zelensky stated that Trump confirmed the decision during their recent meeting in New York, saying Ukraine will receive licenses for Patriot missile production. This follows Zelensky's earlier estimate that starting production could take between one and one-and-a-half years. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted in September that license negotiations were ongoing, though he cautioned this wouldn't provide an immediate solution. PAC-3 interceptors are the only weapons Kyiv says can destroy ballistic missiles, which Russia increasingly uses against Ukrainian cities.