US unlikely to finalise Patriot production deal with Ukraine before winter, NATO envoy says

A planned agreement between the United States and Ukraine for the joint manufacturing of Patriot air defence interceptor missiles will not be concluded before the upcoming winter, according to US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker.

Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Whitaker explained that establishing a framework for long-term missile production requires extensive preparation, preventing an agreement from being finalised in the immediate term. However, he noted that broader initiatives to co-produce air defence equipment alongside Ukraine and European partners are continuing to move forward.

Kyiv has consistently urged international allies to expedite air defence provisions and expand domestic weapons manufacturing to shield energy infrastructure against seasonal Russian bombardments. While advanced technology-sharing deliberations continue, Washington and NATO allies are maintaining existing industrial defence partnerships across Europe.

Sources: MIA (Media Information Agency), Sloboden Pečat