US continuing talk with Ukraine on Patriot missile manufacture, despite Trump casting doubt on deal

The US is continuing discussions with Ukraine regarding the domestic manufacture of Patriot interceptor missiles, despite President Trump's recent skepticism about such a deal. These talks, led by Washington's envoy to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, explore options like Ukraine producing components for final assembly in Germany, joining an existing US-European Patriot program, or building a cheaper PAC-3 version. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has emphasized the urgent need for these missiles, stating that Ukraine has run out of interceptors. While a manufacturing agreement would not provide immediate missiles, it aims to rebuild Ukraine's arsenal long-term. One source confirmed, "No order was given to halt the discussions."