Donald Trump intends to ask American defense industry companies to produce weapons under license in Europe and Ukraine. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the G7 summit in Evian, France, against the backdrop of Ukraine’s urgent needs for air defense systems.
President Donald Trump intends to ask American defense companies to produce weapons under license in Europe and Ukraine, according to officials.
“They would like to be able to do this, we will analyze the situation”, Trump told reporters on Wednesday, June 17, when asked about these plans during a press conference organized at the G7 summit in Evian, France.
Ukraine is in critical need of interceptor missiles to stop Russian ballistic missiles. These systems can currently only be produced by the USA, and American stocks are under pressure following previous deliveries. Trump told allies that he will review the possibilities of granting production licenses, writes Bloomberg.
What does licensed production mean
Licensing agreements allow European or Ukrainian companies to manufacture American weapons on their territory, under the supervision of the original manufacturer. The USA has granted such licenses before – Patriot missiles are produced under license in Germany – but generally maintains strict control over these agreements due to concerns about intellectual property.
What did the European leaders say at G7
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has confirmed that the discussions are about comprehensive licenses granted to European and Ukrainian manufacturers. He emphasized that all countries are facing insufficient production capacity and that licensing is a solution to compensate for this deficit.
The Evian meeting was considered a success for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump and a joint declaration was signed by all allies, including the USA. Trump also expressed his willingness to intensify sanctions against Russia.