Zelenskyy says he repeatedly asked US for Patriot production licences

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that he has repeatedly requested the US to grant licences for the production of Patriot air defence systems, but the issue remains unresolved.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with the French daily newspaper Le Parisien, shared by the President's Office, reports European Pravda

Details: Zelenskyy emphasised that technological capabilities play a critical role in the current full-scale war against Ukraine and urged Ukraine's partners to support the country in this regard.

Quote: "Honestly, I have asked the United States many times: give us licences to produce Patriot. And, apparently, no one is against it. No one has ever told me, 'No, we won’t give it to you'. Yet, we still haven’t received anything."

More details: He explained that this request was tied to Ukraine's urgent need to bolster its air defence systems, which is essential for protecting civilians and ensuring soldiers can focus on their duties without worrying about their families’ safety.

"How many times have I asked for the skies to be closed? And still, after three years of war, we haven’t received the number of systems we urgently need," Zelenskyy stressed.

He acknowledged arguments about high demand and pre-existing contracts for the systems.

Quote: "That’s why I pleaded with them: give us licences so we can produce air defence systems and other weapons. Give us the licences and the frozen Russian assets, and we will use those funds to produce weapons. For now, we must work with what we have." 

Background: Earlier, Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine requires an additional 10–12 Patriot air defence systems to fully protect its airspace.

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