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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that he has held discussions with senior Raytheon representatives in Kyiv regarding a potential joint venture to manufacture Patriot air defense systems. The meeting with the U.S. defense contractor underscores Ukraine’s urgent need to bolster its capabilities against Russian ballistic missile attacks that continue to devastate civilian infrastructure and population centers.
The talks come within weeks of U.S. President Donald Trump pledging to grant Ukraine manufacturing rights for Patriot systems, a significant development that reflects a recent warming in Trump’s approach toward the Ukrainian leader. Trump ally Laura Loomer also visited Kyiv on Thursday, marking a notable shift as she criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s missile campaign after years of downplaying the invasion.
Zelenskyy stated that Raytheon expressed willingness to establish coproduction of Patriot interceptor missiles with Ukraine, with government and private sector teams committing to coordinate further discussions. Industry experts and Ukrainian officials have cautioned that establishing domestic production capacity would require years to implement, despite Kyiv’s determination to accelerate the timeline.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces intensified strikes deep inside Russia, with drone attacks targeting Wildberries logistics hubs across multiple regions including St. Petersburg and annexed Crimea. The retail company’s founder reported Friday that warehouses sustained significant damage, while Russian defense officials claimed their air systems shot down 571 Ukrainian drones overnight.
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