Could Fall into Russia’s Hands: Media Outlets Cite the Reason for Trump’s Refusal to Grant Ukraine a Patriot License
11 August 13:39
U.S. President Donald Trump has reneged on his promises to allow Ukraine to manufacture missiles for the Patriot system, fearing that critically important technology could fall into Russian hands. This was reported by the British newspaper The Telegraph, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
Earlier, the U.S. leader had promised to provide Kyiv with classified blueprints for the most advanced American missile.
“We are going to grant you a license to manufacture the Patriot,” the publication quotes Trump as telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July.
Donald Trump suggested that Ukrainian factories would be able to ramp up production of their own missiles “fairly quickly.”
At least that’s what he thought, The Telegraph emphasizes.
“However, he has since backed away from his promise. In particular, he stated recently that ‘it’s hard to transfer such technology… and, you know, there are cases where you transfer technology, and then these people can turn against you,’” the publication writes.
According to the newspaper, his change of position stems from increasingly heated debates over whether to transfer technology that, as aides and experts fear, could end up in Moscow’s hands.
One of the main sources of concern for the U.S. is the radar seeker head in interceptor missiles, which Boeing manufactures in Alabama. This technology is so advanced that Washington restricts its export even to its closest allies, writes The Telegraph.
“This radar, known as the PAC-3 Ka-Band Active Radar Seeker, serves as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the interceptor missile. It pinpoints the target’s location in the final seconds of flight and guides the interceptor into a direct collision with it,” the publication writes.
The article emphasizes that denying Ukraine access to this technology could become a matter of its survival.
As the publication notes, the U.S. closely controls the technical blueprints necessary for Patriot production and rarely authorizes manufacturing outside the country. Germany and Japan are the only countries licensed to produce the system domestically. At the same time, Washington has not granted Japan permission to manufacture the Ka-band radar.
The Telegraph also notes that it took three years before the Japanese military was able to successfully test the PAC-3 missile. According to analysts, Ukraine may face similar delays.
Allowing Ukraine to produce its own missiles involves the transfer not only of equipment but also of blueprints, software, and specialized knowledge.
“A high-ranking source in the British government, familiar with the U.S. decision-making process, indicated that these very obstacles are the key reasons for the delay,” the publication reports.
The United States will also have to identify every Ukrainian factory, employee, and subcontractor that will have access to this technology.
And most importantly, they will need guarantees that these secrets will not be stolen or passed on to the Russians, the newspaper emphasizes.
Indeed, a source close to the U.S. president told the publication that the administration is aware of instances where weapons provided to Ukraine by allies ended up on the European black market.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
Negotiations between Ukraine and the U.S. on the possible transfer of a license to manufacture Patriot missiles
In late May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent an urgent letter to U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. Congress warning of a critical shortage of air defense systems in Ukraine. Later, the president told reporters that in this letter he had asked Trump for a license to manufacture Patriot missiles
On July 8, Trump announced that Washington would grant Kyiv a license to manufacture missiles for the Patriot system—he made this statement during a press conference with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, adding that the manufacturer had not yet been informed, but “everything will work out.”
On July 28, President Zelenskyy met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House. They discussed licenses to manufacture interceptors for the Patriot system, as well as other initiatives capable of strengthening Ukraine’s defense capabilities. The meeting between the leaders lasted about an hour.
According to the president, during the meeting, Trump agreed to expedite the issuance of licenses to Ukraine for the production of Patriot interceptors. However, it will still take a long time—approximately one to five years—to establish production of a significant number of these weapons. Such a timeframe is unacceptable to Ukraine, Zelenskyy emphasized.
On July 30, President Trump stated in an interview with the Financial Times that he was “not sure” whether the United States would grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot missiles. According to him, officials in Washington are “considering this issue.”
On July 31, the U.S. leader stated that Washington “needs to be very cautious” regarding the transfer of technology to Ukraine for the production of interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
