The most important message from the meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States at the NATO summit in Ankara was Donald Trump’s decision to give the green light for the production of missiles for Patriot systems in Ukraine. This was stated by Marcin Buzanski, Director of the European Office of the Kyiv Security Forum (Brussels), during a special Kyiv Security Forum discussion titled “NATO Summit in Ankara: Decisions, Challenges, and the Way Forward.”

According to him, Ukraine’s ability to carry out deep strikes on Russian territory brings us closer to the prospect of forcing Moscow to the negotiating table.

Buzanski broke down the summit’s success into several components, citing the deepening of Ukraine’s defense cooperation as the first. “These include successes in defense industry collaboration, financing, formation of new partnerships, funding for production, and providing financing for projects utilizing new Ukrainian technologies and innovations,” he emphasized.

Buzanski also highlighted a clear signal of long-term support for Ukraine as equally important. “Funding will continue to be provided to put pressure on Russia. Putin is now threatening to strike, hoping for a lack of unity. He would very much like to prevent Ukraine from receiving Patriot systems from other countries,” concluded the Director of the KSF European Office.

The discussion took place in the Ukrainian capital as part of the new project ‘Kyiv Security Forum: Deep Strike’ – a series of expert discussions on pressing issues and key trends in Ukraine’s security, economy and foreign policy.

Participants in the discussion included Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine (2014–2016); and Danylo Lubkivsky, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine (2014), Member of the Security Council, Kyiv Security Forum. Joining online were Tanya Hartman, Head, Policy East Team, Political Affairs and Security Policy Division, NATO HQ; Ambassador William Taylor, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council, U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine (2006–2009; 2019–2020); Ambassador Kurt Volker, US Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations (2017–2019); Marcin Buzanski, Director of the European Office of the Kyiv Security Forum (Brussels). The discussion was moderated by Mark Lobel, a BBC journalist and BBC presenter.

A video recording of the discussion is available in Ukrainian here and in English here.

The Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), founded by the Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation, is Ukraine’s leading international discussion platform on issues of war and peace. Prominent international leaders, politicians, diplomats, experts, activists, and journalists participate in KSF events. The platform operates on several levels simultaneously: keeping Ukraine in the spotlight of the global agenda; expanding our country’s circle of international partners; and building expertise on current security issues.