The U.S. will authorize Ukraine to create Patriots, Trump: Don't complain that we haven't paid enough

ON 8 JULY, DURING THE NATO SUMMIT IN ANKARA, TURKEY, ON WEDNESDAY, TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD GRANT UKRAINE A “PATRIOTIC” MISSILE PRODUCTION LICENCE TO ENABLE THE UKRAINIAN SIDE TO PRODUCE THIS KEY ANTI-AIRCRAFT WEAPON ITSELF IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS ALSO A CORE LONG-STANDING DEMAND OF PRESIDENT ZELENSKY OF UKRAINE. DURING THE EVENT WITH ZELENSKY, TRUMP SAID: “WE WILL GRANT YOU PERMISSION TO PRODUCE THE `PATRIOTIC' MISSILES.” HE STATED THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD TEACH UKRAINE ABOUT THE RELEVANT MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY AND, ALTHOUGH THE PRODUCTION PROCESS WAS “VERY COMPLEX”, BELIEVED THAT IT WAS WITHIN ITS GRASP. HE ADDED: “IN THIS CASE, YOU CAN NO LONGER COMPLAIN THAT WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED ENOUGH.” TRUMP STRESSED THAT “PATRIOTICS” ARE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS AND THAT “I PREFER DEFENSIVE WEAPONS RATHER THAN OFFENSIVE WEAPONS”. TRUMP, HOWEVER, MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD NOT THEREFORE PROVIDE UKRAINE WITH MORE “PATRIOTIC” SYSTEMS, AS THE UNITED STATES ITSELF NEEDED THE SAME EQUIPMENT. CURRENTLY, THE MAIN CONTRACTOR FOR THE “PATRIOTIC” AIR DEFENCE SYSTEM TO INTERCEPT MISSILES IS LMT.US, AND THE MANUFACTURER OF THE SYSTEM ALSO INCLUDES RTX (RTX.US). TRUMP DISCLOSED THAT THE TWO COMPANIES HAD NOT RECEIVED FORMAL NOTIFICATION, BUT BELIEVED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEMS, AND INDICATED THAT THE UNITED STATES WAS IN A POSITION TO PROMOTE HIGHER PRODUCTION BY THE ENTERPRISES CONCERNED。