Negotiations Between the U.S. and Ukraine on "Patriot" Production License

According to a report by Reference News Network on September 5, Agence France-Presse reported on September 2 that U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated in an interview broadcast on the 2nd local time that the United States is negotiating with Ukraine to grant permission for the production of "Patriot" interceptor missiles, which Kyiv urgently needs to counter Russian offensives, but this is not an "immediate solution."

"Even if permission is granted, expanding production capacity is a process that takes years, as it requires time to build factories, and these types of weapons are extremely precise," Rubio said on Fox News Channel's broadcast program.

He added, "Therefore, this is under negotiation. The negotiations may yield results, but it does not truly address the problems they face in the short term."

According to reports, during his visit to Washington in July, Ukrainian President Zelensky stated that he had "discussed the issue of permission to produce 'Patriot' interceptor missiles" with U.S. President Trump.

Trump believes that the United States must be "very cautious" before authorizing Ukraine to produce American "Patriot" air defense system missiles.

"These weapons are outstanding. We must be very cautious before allowing anyone to produce them," Trump said at the time.

More than four years after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Kyiv and Moscow have recently intensified their strikes against each other, with civilian casualties continuing to rise.

Reports indicate that defending against ballistic missiles, which are difficult to intercept, is a top priority for Kyiv.

Rubio said on the program, "The whole world is demanding more air defense interceptors. This has become a top priority in the field of defense globally, not just for Ukraine, but for countries around the world," including in the Middle East against the backdrop of the war with Iran.

"This is purely a supply issue. Of course, I must remind everyone that the United States itself also has demands. Before we help others, we must ensure that our own stockpiles are always sufficient," he added.

Reports indicate that since the start of the war with Iran, the issue of U.S. weapons, ammunition, and interceptor stockpiles has become increasingly severe. (Translated by Lin Xiaoxuan)