US Approves Potential $2.1B Patriot Missile Sale to Ukraine

By Staff, Agencies

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of 500 Patriot air defense interceptor missiles to Ukraine in a deal estimated at $2.1 billion, according to an official announcement on Friday.

The deal involves the advanced PAC-3 MSE variant, one of the few systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles. 

Ukraine relies heavily on these interceptors to defend against Russian missile attacks, but its existing supplies reportedly ran out earlier this month.

The purchase will not be financed by Washington. Instead, Ukraine will cover the cost through funding from Canada, Germany and Norway, alongside a European Union loan. The State Department has not provided a delivery timeline or confirmed whether any missile components will be manufactured in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky welcomed the approval but urged Washington to accelerate deliveries, warning that waiting several years would fail to address Ukraine's immediate defense needs. 

He called for 500 interceptors to be delivered during the winter of 2026–2027, arguing that existing Western stockpiles could help meet the urgent demand.

The approval came amid recent tensions between Washington and Kiev over US policy toward Russia, intelligence-sharing and military support. 

It also came as growing international demand and ammunition shortages place additional pressure on US weapons production.