Washington: The United States has approved a potential sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors to Ukraine, valued at an estimated USD 2.1 billion, with the entire purchase to be funded by European partners and Canada.
The US State Department announced the approval on Friday, stating that the proposed sale aims to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences and protect against current and emerging missile threats.
Canada, Germany and Norway will contribute through the US JUMPSTART programme, alongside funding from a European Union credit facility. According to official statements, no American financial resources will be involved.
Lockheed Martin will be the primary contractor. The package also includes classified and unclassified spare parts, logistics and programme support. However, the announcement did not specify delivery timelines or whether components would be manufactured locally in Ukraine.
The approval comes as Ukraine faces continued Russian ballistic missile attacks and seeks to strengthen its air defences ahead of winter. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that Kyiv had waited nearly a month for Washington’s clearance for critical Patriot and NASAMS missile supplies.
According to an earlier CNN report, Ukraine’s existing stockpile of Patriot interceptors was entirely depleted earlier this month. The PAC-3 MSE is the most advanced operational version of the Patriot interceptor and is among the few weapons capable of countering incoming ballistic missiles.
Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Washington and Western allies to accelerate deliveries, saying Ukraine received an average of just 12 Patriot interceptors monthly from the US this year, against a requirement to intercept around 150 incoming Russian ballistic projectiles each month.
In a Friday video statement, he said Russia had launched 17 ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight, hitting oil refining infrastructure in the country’s central region.
The proposed transaction also comes amid tensions between Washington and Kyiv over the Trump administration’s approach to the war and military support.
