US and Ukraine continue talks on Patriot missile production

Among the options under discussion is the possibility of Ukraine producing some components for final assembly elsewhere in Europe, Reuters reports.

"There was no order to stop the negotiations," one of the sources told the publication, adding that talks with US arms manufacturers, military officials, and other parties are ongoing.

Among the options under consideration are manufacturing Patriot components in Ukraine and sending them to Germany for final assembly, incorporating Ukraine into Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) existing US-European Patriot interceptor program, and granting Kyiv permission to produce a lower-cost version of the PAC-3.

A senior Trump administration official noted that the US is exploring several potential avenues for future defense industrial cooperation with Ukraine, adding that any agreement must prioritize the security of American technology.

Even if Ukraine concludes a Patriot interceptor production agreement, it will not begin receiving the new missiles for at least a year or more. To meet immediate needs, it will need other missiles, and is calling on allies to share some of their stockpiles.

US officials note that licensing the production of American weapons in Europe has been actively discussed since the 2022 Russian invasion exposed gaps in Europe's own arsenals, and some agreements have already been concluded.

Officials warned that opening new component production lines is not a simple matter, as production typically begins only three to seven years after the licensing agreement is signed.

Photo: Lockheed Martin.