President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine will receive a package of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor missiles from the US in the coming days.
He added that he also reached separate agreements with European partners following a NATO summit in Ankara.
Zelenskyy told reporters that Ukraine and the US also agreed to conduct tests of maritime and aerial drones, adding that cooperation agreements will be signed following the trials.
"Of course, the Drone Deal between Ukraine and US has not been signed yet. There are some documents that have already been signed so that America can receive various types (drones) from Ukraine for testing," Interfax-Ukraine reported, citing Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy also said he and US President Donald Trump reached a political agreement on producing Patriot systems in Ukraine, and that technical teams from both sides would begin work on licensing to launch domestic production as soon as possible.
“President Trump has repeatedly emphasized that today only 2-3 countries in the world can produce Patriots because the others are not technologically ready. Ukraine is recognized by America as a country that is ready to do this,” said Zelenskyy, according to Interfax-Ukraine.
Asked whether his meeting with Trump had changed his outlook on prospects for peace, Zelenskyy said Ukraine now has a "window of opportunity," arguing that the country has grown stronger militarily.
“Putin, whether he knows it or not, but he definitely receives information and understands that he has no advantage now,” he said. “There is ballistics, there are really such absolutely tragic and terrible strikes on the civilian population of our country, but this is the only advantage he has left.”
Trump met Zelenskyy and other leaders on the sidelines of the NATO summit on Wednesday.
During the meeting, Trump said Putin and Zelenskyy seek to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and that the US is ready to “close the skies” above Ukraine as part of security guarantees for Kyiv if it is “necessary.”
Trump said one of the things they would be discussing was Washington giving Kyiv a license to make Patriot missiles. “This way you can’t complain that we’re not giving them enough,” he added.
.jpg.jpeg)