Marta Gichko 08:42, 11.07.26 UNIAN
Moscow said that Washington’s decision on Patriot would not contribute to peace, while Kyiv called it an important step to strengthen Ukrainian defense
The United States this week agreed to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missiles , and President Donald Trump publicly praised President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Kremlin reacted with restraint to these moves, but said they could complicate the negotiation process and lead to a prolongation of the war, The Washington Post reports.
Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow did not consider the new agreements an escalation, but called Washington’s approach “wrong.” He said that increased military support for Ukraine would not help a peaceful settlement, but would only force Russia to expand the so-called “buffer zone.”
At the same time, Peskov reiterated that the Kremlin allegedly remains open to a diplomatic settlement and a new phone conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. At the same time, Moscow continues to reject Kyiv’s proposals for a personal meeting of the presidents and a complete ceasefire.
During the NATO summit in Ankara, Trump unexpectedly positively assessed Zelensky’s activities.
“He did an amazing job,” the American president said.
Trump also announced that the US would allow Ukraine to independently produce Patriot missiles:
“We’re going to give you a license to manufacture Patriot missiles. That’s pretty cool… I said, ‘Make them yourself.'”
Patriots remain one of the few Western systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, with which Russia regularly attacks Ukrainian cities.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia was finding it increasingly difficult to defend its own airspace and expressed hope that the new agreement would help create the conditions for negotiations to end the war.
Trump himself added that although the decision could be seen as an escalation, it could bring the end of the war closer.
Pressure on the Kremlin
Despite the Kremlin’s criticism, Russian analysts have noted Washington’s shift in position. Political scientist Volodymyr Pastukhov said that Ukrainian diplomacy has succeeded in changing the West’s attitude towards the war.
According to him, now it is Russia that will have to explain the new “realities on the ground” after the Trump administration began to publicly recognize Ukraine’s successes.
“Now,” he says, “it is Putin who must puzzle over how to present the ‘realities on the ground’ in a more favorable light.”
At the same time, military experts warn that launching Patriot missile production in Ukraine will not solve the problem quickly. Due to the complexity of the technology and tight US control over production, full-scale production of such missiles may begin only in a few years.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the United States for the decision and emphasized that Ukraine was officially recognized as a state capable of mastering the production of such high-tech missiles.
According to him, now the parties must agree on a schedule for launching production, and the sooner agreements are reached, the sooner Ukraine will be able to produce Patriot missiles on its own territory.
Missiles for Patriot in Ukraine – main news
As UNIAN reported, US President Donald Trump’s promise to allow Kyiv to produce American Patriot air defense missiles is a victory for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. But, as defense experts note, it may take at least a year to launch production, Reuters reports.
With a chronic shortage of interceptor missiles likely to continue until then, Kyiv faces difficult choices about which targets to defend first as Russia continues to strike its cities and energy infrastructure.
Against the backdrop of this news, the manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced that the United States and European allies are establishing a joint maintenance center for PAC-3 interceptor missiles in Europe .
The complex will enhance the readiness of NATO’s air and missile defense by providing maintenance and support capabilities in the European region. It is explained that this should help keep PAC-3 interceptor missiles ready for rapid deployment in the event of threats.
Patriots will surely help end putin’s war, thank you USA!
“He said that increased military support for Ukraine would not help a peaceful settlement, but would only force Russia to expand the so-called “buffer zone.”
How will a buffer zone protect the shithole from drones with a range of 3000km?