Zelensky says Trump has made ‘final decision’ to allow Kyiv to make Patriot missiles

Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that US President Donald Trump will allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missiles, a key demand as Kyiv tries to fend off relentless Russian aerial attacks.

“There are concrete agreements in place,” Zelensky told reporters. “During our last meeting, President Trump emphasized that, yes, I have made the final decision: Ukraine will receive a license to manufacture Patriot missiles.”

The two met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week, where Zelensky called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “patient zero,” saying the more freedom he has to act, “the more dangerous the world becomes for everyone else.”

The question of whether Trump would fulfil his promise to allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot interceptors – a top-tier track-and-destroy defense system Ukrainians hope will cut through Russia’s relentless ballistic missiles strikes – has loomed over Ukraine for months.

Trump suggested Ukraine would gain the right to make Patriots on the side lines of the NATO summit in Turkey back in July, but weeks later he cooled on the offer. CNN has approached the White House for comment.

乌克兰总统新闻处/picture-alliance/dpa/美联社

乌克兰总统泽连斯基周五表示，美国总统特朗普将允许乌克兰制造爱国者导弹，这是基辅试图抵御俄罗斯持续不断的空中袭击的关键诉求。

泽连斯基告诉记者：“我们已经达成了具体的协议。在上次会晤中，特朗普总统强调，是的，我已经做出了最终决定：乌克兰将获得生产爱国者导弹的许可证。”

本周，两人在纽约联合国大会期间会面。泽连斯基称俄罗斯总统弗拉基米尔·普京为“零号病人”，并表示普京行动自由越多，“世界对其他人就越危险”。

几个月来，特朗普是否会兑现允许乌克兰制造“爱国者”拦截导弹的承诺——乌克兰人希望这种顶级跟踪摧毁防御系统能够突破俄罗斯持续不断的弹道导弹袭击——这个问题一直笼罩着乌克兰。

特朗普曾在7月土耳其举行的北约峰会期间暗示乌克兰将有权生产“爱国者”导弹，但几周后他又收回了这一提议。CNN已联系白宫寻求置评。