US Approves Proposed Sale of 500 Patriot Missiles to Ukraine; Delivery May Take Years
Dragon Media News Desk
The United States has approved a proposed sale of 500 Patriot air-defence interceptors to Ukraine. Valued at approximately $2.1 billion, the sale must also undergo review by the US Congress. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said delivery could take several years.
According to the US State Department, the proposal includes PAC-3 MSE interceptors for Patriot systems, spare parts and technical support. Canada, Germany and Norway will contribute funding, alongside funds raised through the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan. The department said no US government funds would be used and Lockheed Martin would be the principal contractor.
Welcoming the approval, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needed the missiles immediately. He said the United States and European partners could transfer interceptors from their existing stocks to Ukraine and replenish those stocks later with newly produced missiles. He urged them to provide supplies promptly to help protect Ukrainian airspace this winter.
Ukraine considers Patriot systems essential for intercepting Russian missiles, particularly ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy said Russia had carried out more than 30 strikes on critical parts of Ukraine’s electricity and energy infrastructure during the last two weeks of October. With winter approaching, Ukraine is concerned that damage to energy supplies could further endanger civilians.
The US State Department has not announced a delivery schedule. The missiles will need to be produced, making an immediate delivery unlikely. Published reports say supplies may not arrive for several years, possibly in the early 2030s or later.
The approval came amid recent disagreements between Washington and Kyiv over weapons supplies and the war. Tensions rose after US measures related to Russian diesel supplies and President Donald Trump’s comments about ending the war. Reports say relations eased somewhat after Zelenskyy met US special envoys in Oslo on October 20.
