WASHINGTON-(Maravi Post)-The United States has approved a $2.1 billion deal to supply Ukraine with 500 Patriot air-defence interceptor missiles as Kyiv faces intensifying Russian aerial attacks and mounting pressure on its energy infrastructure.
BBC News reports that the approval covers advanced PAC-3 missiles, with the purchase expected to be financed entirely by European allies and Canada rather than American government funds.
However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that the deliveries could take several years, raising concerns about how quickly the weapons will reach Ukrainian forces amid the ongoing conflict.
Zelensky welcomed Washington’s approval but renewed his appeal for urgent deliveries, stressing that Ukraine needs the interceptors immediately to defend its cities and critical infrastructure against Russian ballistic missile attacks.
The Ukrainian leader said Russian strikes on Friday night left approximately 200,000 households in the Dnipro region and at least 80,000 households in the Kyiv region without electricity.
He accused Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, warning that sustained attacks on energy facilities were worsening the country’s preparations for the approaching winter.
According to the US State Department, the proposed transaction supports Washington’s foreign policy and national security objectives by strengthening the security of a strategic partner in Europe.
The financing will come through contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway under the JUMPSTART programme, alongside resources channelled through the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan.
American defence contractor Lockheed Martin has been identified as the principal contractor responsible for the missile programme.
The approval comes amid continuing diplomatic tensions between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump over Washington’s approach to the war and efforts to negotiate an end to Russia’s invasion.
Although diplomatic engagement between Ukrainian officials and US envoys has continued, Kyiv remains concerned about delays in securing essential military equipment.
The urgency is compounded by a global shortage of Patriot interceptors, partly driven by their use in the US military campaign against Iran.
Production capacity also presents a major obstacle. Figures cited by the BBC indicate that the United States produces approximately 600 Patriot missiles annually, meaning the newly approved order could take considerable time to fulfil, particularly as it involves newly manufactured missiles rather than existing stockpiles.
Meanwhile, European diplomats at the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Atlanta protested against the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by refusing to participate in an official group photograph.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband confronted Lavrov during the meeting, accusing Russia of killing innocent civilians and insisting that Moscow was responsible for the war.
The latest US approval provides Ukraine with a significant procurement commitment, but the delayed delivery timetable leaves immediate questions about the country’s ability to defend its population and infrastructure against continuing Russian attacks.
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