US unlikely to reach Patriot co-production deal with Ukraine before winter, NATO envoy says
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Washington is unlikely to reach an agreement with Ukraine on the joint production of Patriot interceptor missiles before this winter, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in a Fox News interview aired on Aug. 3.
"A long-term production agreement will not be concluded before this winter. So we will continue working on it," Whitaker said.
Whitaker said PAC-3 Patriot interceptors remain subject to strict U.S. export controls.
"We do not allow anybody but U.S. manufacturers to make those in the United States," he said.
At the same time, he said Washington is exploring broader defense cooperation with Ukraine and its 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 defense of Ukraine and the defense of Europe," Whitaker said.
Until such an agreement is reached, Whitaker said it is a priority to ensure Ukraine has air defense capabilities ahead of winter "as quickly as possible," either through deliveries from allies with surplus missiles or by increasing production at U.S. facilities.
Whitaker's remarks come after the Trump administration has sent mixed signals in recent weeks over whether Washington will allow Ukraine to produce Patriot interceptors under license.
While Trump initially said during a July 8 NATO summit that the U.S. would grant Kyiv a production license, he later said on July 31 that no final decision had been made, calling such a move "a big step" due to concerns over transferring sensitive defense technology.
Patriot systems remain Ukraine's only proven defense against Russian ballistic missiles, which Moscow has used with increasing frequency in recent weeks during large-scale strikes.
Kyiv has repeatedly urged its Western partners to expand deliveries of Patriot systems and interceptors as Russia intensifies its aerial campaign ahead of another winter.
