The US will Grant Licenses to Ukraine to Produce Patriot Missiles

JAKARTA - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States would license Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles, saying neither Russia nor Ukraine wanted to see the war end.

"We will give you a license to make Patriot missiles," Trump said during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, launching Al Arabiya from Reuters (9/7).

President Zelensky has repeatedly pleaded for the US-made interceptor missiles, the only weapon in Ukraine's arsenal that can shoot down ballistic projectiles, whose high speed and steep flight path make them difficult to stop.

In addition, President Trump said both sides in the war want to see it end, but Vladimir Putin of Russia and Volodymyr Zelensky are both "difficult to negotiate with."

"We've won a lot of wars, and this is a war that I think will probably be the easiest, but Putin is a tough character, and this guy is a tough character too," President Trump said, referring to President Zelensky, who sat next to him.

"I am sure you will do everything to stop this war," President Zelensky added.

In his post on social media X, President Zelensky thanked and appreciated his meeting with President Trump, highlighting the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense.

"President Trump and I discussed several ideas that could strengthen our position and bring peace closer. I count on our team to immediately follow up on everything discussed today. We also discussed diplomacy - we are trying to make it work. We will continue to work productively to make it happen. Thank you!," wrote President Zelensky.