Ukraine war briefing: Trump says he is ‘not sure’ about letting Ukraine build Patriot missiles
US president places military plan in doubt despite positive meetings with Voloymyr Zelenskyy in Washington this week. What we know on day 1,619Donald Trump has cast doubt on allowing Ukraine to build Patriot missiles, saying in an interview he was “not sure” about the move. The US president told the Financial Times: “It’s a very extraordinary weapon, and we have to be a little bit careful of who we licence to.” Earlier this week, Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Trump at the White House where the Ukrainian president said he had discussed licensing arrangements to let Ukraine manufacture its own interceptors for Patriot missile systems. Officials from Patriot maker Raytheon Co have already been to Ukraine, and Lockheed Martin Corp, which builds the PAC-3 interceptors for the air defence system, was also working to send over a team of experts, Ukraine’s envoy to Washington, Olha Stefanishyna, said on Thursday. The FT also reported that Trump envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff would visit Ukraine for the first time in the coming days.Donald Tusk has visited the scene of an explosion caused by a Russian missile 50 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine. The Polish prime minister said: “From the analysis of most of the traces, the recovered fragments point to a Russian KH-101 missile”, but added that there was no reason to think that Poland had been the target. Tusk said the Polish military had been prepared to shoot it down if it threatened a built-up area. The missile explosion triggered Nato air defences, in the midst of a massive air raid that killed 13 people in Ukraine. Nato’s supreme allied commander for Europe, Gen Alexus Grynkewich, said: “Nato will continue to take all necessary measures to defend Nato territory.”A drone factory in Kyiv destroyed by a Russian ballistic missile was owned by a US corporation, in what appears to be the first time Moscow has targeted a US company in the conflict. Friday’s strike hit Terminal Autonomy, a US corporation registered in Delaware that makes precision “deep-strike” drones with guidance systems that are resistant to Russian jamming signals, according to a person familiar with the company. Terminal Autonomy did not reply to an emailed request for comment. The Ukrainian defence ministry also did not respond to an email.France’s interior minister has defended an expulsion order against pro-Kremlin Russian commentator Xenia Fedorova, saying it was “not an infringement on freedom of expression”. Minister Laurent Nunez told broadcaster BFMTV that Fedorova, a former head of the Kremlin-funded RT news network, “simply and purely relays Russian propaganda”. “We are dealing with a very serious matter, namely an attack on the fundamental interests of the nation,” he said. However, views similar to hers would continue to be given a platform in France, Nunez added. “I have no doubt whatsoever that the people who espouse theories like those promoted by this individual will continue to disseminate them,” he said, referring to some French politicians. France ordered Fedorova to leave the country after accusations she was relaying Kremlin propaganda on French television. Fedorova’s lawyer has said his client will file an appeal. Continue reading...
Russian missile destroys US firm’s Kyiv drone factory
Strike on Terminal Autonomy plant appears to be first time in the war that Moscow has targeted a US defence companyA drone factory in Kyiv destroyed by a Russian ballistic missile on Friday was owned by a US corporation registered in Delaware, in what appears to be the first time Moscow has targeted a US defence company in the conflict.Terminal Autonomy makes precision “deep-strike” drones with guidance systems that are resistant to Russian jamming signals, according to a person familiar with the company. Continue reading...
