What blocks Ukraine from developing anti-ballistic missiles: Zelenskyy explains

Licenses from the United States are required for Ukraine to develop missiles capable of intercepting Russian ballistic weapons.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this while answering journalists’ questions about the feasibility and timeframe for developing such weapons.

He said the issue had been raised with both the current and previous U.S. administrations, missile manufacturers, international partners and NATO leadership.

«For this we need only one thing — licences from the United States of America. I discussed this issue with the previous administration, I raised it with the manufacturers of these missiles, and I personally spoke with partners so they could help me engage with NATO leadership. I also discussed it with the current administration of the United States. So far we have not received the licenses, ” he said.

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine already has the technological and engineering capacity to launch large-scale production if such licenses are granted.

«With the defense industry we have built during this war, with these technologies and with our engineers, I am confident we could very quickly produce a large number of missiles and provide not only for Ukraine but for the whole of Europe, ” he said.