Trump’s Patriot License for Ukraine Sparks Alarm Over Security Risk
At the NATO summit, Trump said the U.S. would license Ukraine to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, arguing it would demonstrate magnanimity, but experts warn it wouldn’t quickly fix Ukraine’s air-defense gaps and would risk sensitive U.S. tech by creating a new production facility Russia could target. With Patriot stocks already depleted and replenishment not until 2029, and with strict licensing and security hurdles, the move could be slow-walked or impractical, offering limited strategic benefit while potentially benefiting defense contractors and exposing national-security risks.
