WASHINGTON — The United States approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles to Ukraine, a critical munition for defense against escalating Russian aerial attacks. The missiles are considered the only effective weapon capable of downing Russia's ballistic missiles.
The U.S. State Department announced the advanced PAC-3 interceptor missiles would cost $2.1 billion. The purchase will be funded entirely by Ukraine's allies in Europe and Canada through donations from Canada, Germany and Norway via the JUMPSTART program, along with funds financed by the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan. No U.S. funds are involved in the sale. Lockheed Martin will serve as the principal contractor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the announcement but warned that deliveries could take "several years" to arrive. He said Ukraine needed the Patriot missiles "right now" as Russia intensifies attacks on key energy infrastructure ahead of winter. Over the past two weeks, Russia has conducted more than 30 strikes on critical parts of Ukraine's power grid.
Zelensky noted earlier this week that Ukraine had waited almost a month for U.S. approval on vital missile shipments and reported critically low supplies of missile interceptors.
The approval follows a period of strained relations between Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this month. Tensions arose after the U.S. eased sanctions on Russia to secure Russian diesel, with Trump stating it was time for Ukraine to elect a new leader to negotiate an end to the war. Diplomatic efforts eased tensions after Zelensky held talks with U.S. envoys in Oslo on Oct. 20.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, following its earlier seizure of Crimea and parts of the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine.
At the G20 foreign ministers meeting hosted in Atlanta by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, European diplomats protested the presence of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, refusing to stand for an official photograph. UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband addressed Lavrov directly, stating, "We all know who the aggressor in this war is," and accused the Russian government of killing innocent civilians in Ukraine.
