Ukraine receives Patriot missiles: lengthy approval raises questions

The US State Department has approved the sale of 500 PAC-3-MSE missiles, valued at $2.1 billion, to Ukraine. These missiles represent the most modern available Patriot variant and are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles used by Russia, among other things. The purchase is partially financed by Canada, Germany, and Norway, as well as an EU loan for Ukraine. The Pentagon emphasized that no US funds will be used, thus not burdening American taxpayers.

The delivery of the missiles, which still need to be produced by the US arms company Lockheed Martin, is expected to occur only in the 2030s. According to a source familiar with the decision, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is urging the Pentagon for a faster delivery. A possible solution would be to provide missiles from the US arsenal, which would later be replaced by the new interceptor missiles.

Some of the missiles are reportedly to be delivered from the stockpiles of allied nations. Since the Patriot system is manufactured in the USA, these missiles also require the approval of the US government. This approval had been lacking in recent weeks, which led to significant criticism of the USA in Kyiv.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sharply criticized the delays in US arms deliveries at the beginning of last week. He wrote on Telegram: “We have literally welcomed EVERY attempt by our partners to end this war with dignity.” He added: “It is very important to call things by their names. We must identify the aggressor as an aggressor and help Ukraine protect human lives. If deliveries of missiles for Ukrainian air defense are blocked while Russia receives sanctions relief or deferrals, this is, unfortunately, a denial of reality on the part of our partners.”

Zelenskyy has repeatedly warned that Ukraine urgently needs interceptor missiles. The Ukrainian army’s stockpiles are almost exhausted. This is happening while Russia has intensified its attacks on Kyiv and other cities.

Just a few days ago, a Russian drone struck a platform at the main train station in Dnipro, killing at least 15 people waiting for a train to depart, according to Ukrainian authorities. Zelenskyy called on the USA and Europe in a social media post to take “fair and decisive action against Russian escalation” and emphasized that sanctions against Moscow must not be eased as long as the war continues.