KYIV, September 25 — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that Ukraine will produce its own Patriot missiles after the US president approved a license for domestic production, according to the statement from his office. The move marks a significant step in Ukraine’s efforts to strengthen its air defense and reduce dependence on foreign supplies. Officials confirmed the license approval, though the source material did not specify the terms of the arrangement or a timeline for production.
Zelenskyy, born in Kryvyi Rih in 1978, built a career as a comedian, actor and producer before entering politics. He founded the comedy production company Studio Kvartal 95, which became one of Ukraine’s most successful entertainment enterprises, and starred in the television series ‘Servant of the People’ as a schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes president.
In 2019 he ran for president for real, winning the election with more than 70 percent of the vote in the second round, and took office in May 2019. His party, Servant of the People, also won a majority in the parliamentary elections later that year.
Wartime leadership
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Zelenskyy remained in Kyiv and became the face of Ukrainian resistance, addressing parliaments and international forums and securing military and financial support from Western allies. In the years of war that followed, he has acknowledged making “many mistakes,” a rare admission from a wartime leader. He has also spoken about the personal cost of the presidency, saying he wants to walk the streets after his term without anyone wanting to kill or hate him.
On the diplomatic front, Zelenskyy has consistently said that a return to normal life is impossible without the de-occupation of Crimea, a position he reiterated at a summit of the Crimean Platform. He has also addressed the question of young Ukrainians who left the country during the war, stating “there is no slavery” and that they should be free to return voluntarily after the fighting ends.
The story of Zelenskyy’s journey from the comedy stage to the wartime presidency is one of the most remarkable political transformations of the modern era, and it continues to unfold as Ukraine defends itself against Russian aggression. What to watch next is whether the domestic Patriot production program moves from announcement to delivery, and how that shift affects Ukraine’s air defense posture in the months ahead.
