Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The U.S. president, Donald Trump, has shifted his position on granting Ukraine licenses and permission to localize production of missiles for the Patriot systems. Analysts' caveats and concerns about technology leakage forced the White House to pause the pledge.
The Telegraph explained why the American leader, after a few weeks, backed away from his statements on licenses.
What are the United States' concerns?
Back in July, during the NATO summit in Ankara, Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelenskiy that he planned to grant licenses to Ukraine. He noted that Ukrainian arms makers could quickly begin independent missile production.
However, a few weeks later, during a Cabinet meeting in Camp David, Trump noted that transferring such technologies would be risky.
It's hard to give away such technologies... People to whom you give them could one day turn them against you,
he said.
The main reason for the position change, according to the publication's observations, was Washington's fear that American developments could fall into Russia's hands.
What is special about the technologies?
A key element that determines the effectiveness of missiles for the Patriot system is the active radar seeker PAC-3 Ka-band. It is manufactured at Boeing's plant in Alabama. This high-precision radar with a diameter of about 8 inches serves as the main reference point for the interceptor in the final moments of flight, which is why the White House restricts its export even to close allies.
The issue of supplying missiles and technologies became especially acute ahead of winter, when Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure were expected to intensify. Volodymyr Zelenskiy emphasized that every air defense package saves lives, and its absence leads to new casualties.
For now, according to the publication, Ukraine's chances of obtaining the needed 300 missiles look unlikely.
As a reminder, the Finnish government decided not to transfer Patriot missiles to Kyiv, explaining this by the need to preserve its own defense capabilities and consider national interests.
Document: PDF proof of the original version of the news item "Трамп сумнівається, чи передавати технології Patriot Україні: ЗМІ пояснили, що його зупиняє". It records the publication content at the moment of the first scan, the preservation date and the source: Channel 24.