The United States is in negotiations with Ukraine over granting a license to produce Patriot interceptors, which Kyiv urgently needs to counter Russian attacks. However, this is “not an immediate solution,” U.S. Senator Marco Rubio said in an interview that aired on Wednesday.
When asked whether he opposes the U.S. granting such a license, Marco Rubio replied: “This is currently under negotiation, but it will not solve the problem immediately.” He explained that increasing production, even with a license, is a process that takes “several years,” because factories must be built and the systems are “extremely complex weapons systems.” Marco Rubio made these remarks on Brian Kilmeade’s radio program on Fox News.
The head of American diplomacy added that the negotiations “are ongoing” and “could lead to a result,” but they “really won’t solve the short‑term problem they are facing.” In early July, during a NATO summit in Ankara, the U.S. president announced a license for Patriot production to Ukraine, then later said he was “not sure” about approving it.
Priority Number One
The U.S. president believes the United States must be “very careful” before allowing Ukraine to produce missiles for the American Patriot air‑defense system. “This weapon is incredible. We must be very careful before allowing anyone to produce it,” Donald Trump said at the time, also referencing Tomahawk missiles.
In recent months, both Kyiv and Moscow have intensified their strikes, raising civilian casualties more than four years after Russia’s full‑scale invasion. Defense against ballistic missiles, which are especially hard to intercept, remains an absolute priority for Kyiv. “The whole world is demanding more interceptors for air defense,” Marco Rubio continued.
He noted that this has become “the number one defense need worldwide,” not only for Ukraine but also “in other countries,” particularly in the Middle East amid the war against Iran. “It’s simply a matter of availability, and of course, I must remind people that the United States also has needs. Before we can help others, we must ensure our own stocks remain sufficient,” Marco Rubio added.
Amid the war against Iran, the issue of weapons, ammunition, and interceptor stocks has become especially acute.
According to: BFMTV
