As part of a $6 billion military aid agreement, the Pentagon announced it was “rapidly shipping” Patriot air defence missiles and artillery shells to Ukraine.
This is Washington’s second aid package this week, following Wednesday’s announcement of $1 billion in urgent help.
In light of escalating Russian air threats, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared on Friday that Kyiv “urgently” needs patriotic missiles.
Patriots, according to Zelensky, “are the things that can and should save people right now.”
The United States will act “immediately” to supply Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Friday.
However, the equipment list provided by the Defense Ministry did not include additional Patriot launchers, something Zelensky said his country desperately needed.
It is the largest security assistance program the United States has committed to date, Austin said and includes air defense munitions, anti-drone systems, artillery and fighter jets essential to Patriot air defence systems.
Austin emphasized the need for various systems and interceptors, stating that Patriot is an excellent option for their needs.
The announcement comes just days after President Biden signed a long-awaited aid package that includes $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
Ukraine has only a handful of Patriots, which complement other Western missile defence systems and current stockpiles of Soviet-era surface-to-air missiles (SAMS), such as the S-300.
These are the most effective and expensive air defence systems that Ukraine has. Each Patriot battery costs about $1 billion. (£800 million) and each missile costs almost $4 million.
Germany has already promised an additional Patriot system, and its defence and foreign ministers earlier this month urged their European counterparts to respond quickly.
Greece has an arsenal of Patriots and S-300s but said nothing can be saved. He told Skai TV.
He said his country’s air defence is an “essential system to protect Greek airspace.” Spain reportedly supplies some Patriot missiles, but not the entire system.
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