U.S. Approves $2.1 Billion Sale of 500 Patriot Interceptors to Ukraine, Funded by Allies
Washington — The U.S. State Department on October 30 approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 interceptor missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1 billion. According to Reuters, the department said in a statement that the deal would be one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.
No American funds are involved. Ukraine will pay for the interceptors with contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway routed through a program called US JUMPSTART, along with national funds financed by the European Union's Ukraine Support Loan, the State Department said. Lockheed Martin is the principal contractor, and the package also covers spare parts, logistics and program support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier this week that Ukraine had been waiting for almost a month for the U.S. to sign off on critical missile supplies, as Russia stepped up attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure. He has repeatedly called on the U.S., which supplies missiles purchased by NATO allies under a program known as PURL, to speed up deliveries ahead of winter.
The interceptors will not reach Ukraine quickly, however. Weapons sales typically take years to fulfill, and two people briefed on the U.S. decision told Reuters the missiles — which are yet to be manufactured — are not expected to be delivered until a couple of years into the 2030s.
The PAC-3 MSE is the most advanced Patriot interceptor variant currently in service and is one of the few weapons capable of shooting down incoming ballistic missiles. Ukraine's existing Patriot systems sit at the core of its air defenses, and interceptor stocks have been a persistent focus of Kyiv's appeals to its allies.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美军「爱国者」导弹系统在 Croatia 参加演习。美国陆军照片，公共领域（Wikimedia Commons）。 / A U.S. Army Patriot missile system operating in Croatia. U.S. Army photo, public domain (Wikimedia Commons).
