Zelenskyy met with Raytheon officials in Kyiv to discuss co-producing Patriot interceptor missiles as Ukraine seeks faster, larger air-defense capacity. The talks follow President Trump’s pledge to license Patriot production for Ukraine and come amid intensified Ukrainian drone and long-range strikes inside Russia. Officials warn that building Patriot factories in Ukraine would likely take years despite the urgent need. Russia says it shot down 571 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Zelenskyy Meets Raytheon — Talks Turn to Co-Producing Patriot Interceptors as Ukraine Seeks Rapid Air-Defense Boost
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy looks on before his meeting with Ireland's Prime Minister Micheal Martin in Kyiv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he met in Kyiv with senior representatives of U.S. defense firm Raytheon to discuss the possible co-production of Patriot interceptor missiles — a step Kyiv says is urgently needed to better defend against Russian ballistic missile strikes.
Meeting Follows U.S. Pledge
The meeting came fewer than three weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to grant Ukraine a license to produce Patriot systems locally, a development Zelenskyy described as an important shift in tone from Washington.
What Was Discussed
Zelenskyy said the Raytheon delegation indicated willingness to cooperate on co-producing Patriot interceptors in Ukraine. The Patriot system combines radars, command-and-control equipment and several types of interceptor missiles to engage incoming threats.
Raytheon did not immediately post a statement about the talks on its website or social media channels. Zelenskyy posted on social media that 'our teams — both at the government level and from the private sector — will stay in close touch to work it out.'
Urgency and Practical Challenges
The Ukrainian president stressed the urgency of reaching a coproduction agreement as Russia continues relentless ballistic missile strikes that are difficult to intercept and that inflict heavy civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. Kyiv has developed innovative domestic air-defense solutions, but officials say mass production of proven systems is necessary to meet the scale of the threat.
Experts and Kyiv officials cautioned that establishing full-scale Patriot production inside Ukraine would likely take years, even with strong political and industrial cooperation.
Broader Context
The visit to Kyiv also included a meeting with conservative U.S. activist Laura Loomer, a vocal Trump supporter who — after previously downplaying aspects of the invasion — publicly criticized Russian attacks during her visit. Observers view such meetings as signs of shifting views in parts of Washington.
Since Russia’s first major incursions into Ukraine in 2014, Moscow has controlled roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory. Analysts say the pace of further Russian advances has slowed in part because Ukrainian forces have mounted effective frontline and long-range strikes using domestically developed drone technology.
Recent Strikes Inside Russia
Ukraine has expanded strikes inside Russia, targeting key logistical hubs and facilities to exert pressure on the Kremlin. Kyiv said it struck warehouses operated by Wildberries, Russia's largest online retailer, in St. Petersburg, the Leningrad region and Simferopol in Crimea; the company reported large fires at several sites. Zelenskyy also said Ukrainian long-range weapons hit an oil facility about 1,350 kilometers (840 miles) from Ukraine's border and a military plant.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its air defenses shot down 571 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Note: While the meeting indicates a willingness from both sides to explore coproduction, major logistical, technical and political hurdles remain before Patriot interceptors could be produced at scale in Ukraine.
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