KYIV - Ukraine hopes to gain support from Japan as it looks to produce Patriot air defense systems under U.S. license, citing the expertise of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. that manufactures the interceptors for the Japanese defense forces, an aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.
"We maintain political dialogue" toward seeking cooperation from Japan, which is one of the few countries granted a license to build the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, Sergiy Kyslytsya, first deputy head of Ukraine's Office of the President, said in an interview with Kyodo News.
U.S. President Donald Trump pledged in early July to grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot systems, seen as crucial for Kyiv to counter missile attacks amid Russia's invasion that has entered its fifth year.
While Ukraine has the capabilities to operate a complex defense system, Kyslytsya said, "We need training. We need assistance."
The senior Ukrainian official also emphasized that Patriots are "defensive" and therefore, Japan, a country that upholds a pacifist Constitution, should have no legislative "constraints" regarding such "defense cooperation."
He refrained from making comments on whether Ukraine is holding discussions with MHI, the primary contractor that produces Patriots under license in Japan.
Earlier this month, Zelenskyy expressed interest in working with the Japanese company, telling reporters that it has "demonstrated a very high standard" in producing missiles for the Patriot system.
Ukraine would welcome an exchange of experience, but that depends on the willingness of the Japanese side, the president said at the time.
The Ukrainian presidential office said Thursday that Zelenskyy met with a delegation from Raytheon, which manufactures Patriot air defense systems, and welcomed the U.S. company's readiness to take the partnership to a higher level by co-producing Patriot interceptors.
