Trump reverses pledge to let Ukraine manufacture Patriot missiles

Donald Trump has reversed a promise he made to Ukraine three weeks ago. He had offered Ukraine a licence to build Patriot missile interceptors inside the country. On Friday, Trump said the US "has not agreed" to this and that talks are still continuing.

Trump said he was worried about sharing advanced weapons technology. He warned that a country receiving such technology "can someday turn on you." He also said the US does not usually licence equipment of this kind.

After Trump's original offer, Ukrainian officials had already started meeting with Pentagon staff and industry leaders to plan production. Ukraine has wanted Patriot missiles for over a year to protect against Russian drone and missile attacks. A global shortage of these systems has made the situation harder.