Zelensky stated that partners did not grant Ukraine a licence to manufacture Patriot
This was reported by The Public with reference to the BBC. Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has not yet received a licence from its partners to produce Patriot air defence systems or missiles for them.
According to him, the issue of air defence is the most difficult against the backdrop of constant shelling from Russia.
"Today, the issue is air defence. This is the most difficult issue. Unfortunately, our partners have not yet issued us licences for our own production of systems, such as Patriot systems or even missiles for the systems we already have. So far, we have not been successful in this," Zelensky said.
When asked why partners are not granting the relevant permits, the president replied that he had no explanation for this decision.
Zelenskyy also noted that Ukraine had previously raised the issue of creating production facilities for air defence missiles, in particular for Patriot systems, in Europe. According to him, despite discussions and proposals from Ukraine, the relevant licences for the production of missiles were not granted.
At the same time, the president expressed his conviction that Europe would be able to expand its own capabilities for the production of air defence missiles, but stressed the need to speed up this process.
Earlier, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that Germany had almost exhausted its stockpile of air defence missiles that it could transfer to Ukraine.
