European countries and the United States will reportedly allow companies to manufacture long-range missiles and air defence systems in Ukraine under licensing agreements. The move is aimed at strengthening Kyiv's domestic defence production amid the ongoing war with Russia, according to a diplomatic source quoted by AFP.
G7 Summit Announcement
The decision was announced during the G7 summit in the French town of Evian, where leaders from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and pledged to increase pressure on Russia to end the conflict, now in its fifth year.
"We are going to produce under licence not only air defence systems, but also deep-strike capabilities," the diplomatic source said.
German Chancellor Confirms Initiative
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed the initiative, saying countries needed to expand production capacity to meet Ukraine's military requirements. "We are all currently producing too little, and this can be offset by granting licences to companies that have these production capabilities, including European and Ukrainian firms," Merz told reporters.
Under the arrangement, US defence companies will be able to grant production licences to European manufacturers, enabling greater output of weapons and air defence equipment for Ukraine. Merz said he was "grateful" to US President Donald Trump "for this great willingness to cooperate."
G7 Commitment
The move follows a G7 statement issued overnight that committed members to increasing deliveries of air defence systems, interceptors and long-range military capabilities to Ukraine, while also exploring licensing arrangements to expand the country's own defence manufacturing base.
Background and Challenges
Ukraine has relied heavily on Western military assistance as it faces sustained Russian missile and drone attacks and recurring shortages of air defence ammunition. However, the pressure on supplies has intensified amid the conflict in the Middle East, where large quantities of air defence munitions have also been used by US allies to protect strategic sites across the Gulf.
