Ukraine Patriot production licenses being negotiated, Rubio says

Talks are currently underway between Kyiv and Washington regarding licenses for Ukraine to produce its own Patriot air defense systems, according to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Speaking on The Brian Kilmeade Show, Rubio confirmed that the matter is "being negotiated as we speak." However, he cautioned that even if a deal is struck, it would not provide an immediate solution to Ukraine's critical shortfall of air defense systems.

Rubio explained that establishing production facilities would take several years, stating, "Ramping up production, even if you have a license, is something that takes multiple years to build these factories." He added that Ukrainian Patriot production "may come to fruition, but it really won't solve the short-term challenge."

This development follows a previous statement in July by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had agreed to grant Ukraine production licenses before retracting the promise weeks later. Ukraine has been facing severe civilian casualties due to a lack of robust air defense, with Kyiv enduring a week-long Russian assault, including drone attacks for seven consecutive nights.

When asked about immediate assistance, Rubio demurred on President Volodymyr Zelensky's request for the U.S. to sell Ukraine 5% of its Patriot missiles, citing the need to maintain sufficient American stockpiles for national defense requirements. He also pushed back against narratives of low U.S. missile stockpiles, suggesting such claims could embolden adversaries. Rubio further refuted reports that CIA Director Jon Ratcliffe's recent trip to Moscow was a warning to Russia, describing it as a routine intelligence exchange. He indicated that he would leave potential peace negotiations to Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.