President Donald Trump of the United States intends to propose to American defense companies the licensed production of missile products directly in Europe and Ukraine. According to Bloomberg, this decision is justified by the need to support Ukraine’s air defenses, particularly missile systems currently produced exclusively in the United States.
Given the depletion of missile reserves during operations in Iran and the time required to restore production, the American administration is considering licensing European and Ukrainian manufacturers. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz clarified that the specific terms of the licenses will be carefully worked out between the involved parties, involving comprehensive agreements between American companies and their European partners.
French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed Trump’s readiness to mobilize the U.S. defense-industrial capacity to ensure the supply of appropriate weaponry. Presently, the United States already engages in partial licensing, such as the production of Patriot missiles in Germany, but seeks to enhance collaboration while addressing intellectual property protection and supply chain stability.
Recently, the U.S. has been supplying air defense systems to Ukraine through NATO coordination, with financing from European countries and Canada, despite the risk of resource depletion. The current situation calls for optimizing production capabilities through licensing cooperation with enterprises in Europe and Ukraine, which is expected to ensure adequate production volumes within a short timeframe.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already appealed to the U.S. administration to expand production of anti-ballistic missiles and provide Ukraine with the necessary licenses to produce Patriot missiles to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities.
