US ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker stated on Monday that it is unlikely that the United States and Ukraine would come to an agreement on the joint manufacture of Patriot interceptor missiles before this winter, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the most important component of Kyiv’s air defenses.
This winter, a long-term production arrangement will not be finalized. In a Fox News interview, Whitaker emphasized that PAC-3 Patriot interceptors are still subject to strict export regulations, which means there is little room for quick licensing. “So we will continue working on it,” he added. We only let US producers to produce those domestically,” he stated.
Whitaker also mentioned more extensive defense-industrial collaboration that is being discussed with friends in Europe and Ukraine. Meeting Ukraine’s immediate needs continues to be the top priority until such arrangements are finalized.
Whitaker stated that Washington and its allies were concentrated on making sure Kyiv had adequate air defense capabilities “as quickly as possible” before winter, either through increased US production or alliance transfers of surplus interceptors.
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