Trump backs Ukraine Patriot production at NATO summit in Turkey
Why it matters: letting Kyiv build the air defense system marks a sharp US shift as Russia's missile war grinds on.
President Donald Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara that the United States will let Ukraine manufacture Patriot air defense systems, a step Kyiv has sought for years as it faces continuing Russian missile attacks. Trump made the pledge after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday, describing their talks in notably warmer terms than some earlier exchanges. He also said the U.S. would work on some kind of security package for Ukraine and suggested a deal to end the war could be nearing. The move came as NATO allies focused on higher defense spending and Europe taking on more security responsibility while Washington reduces its troop presence on the continent.