US State Department approves potential Patriot missiles sale to Ukraine

The Trump administration on Friday green-lit the sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the State Department said.

The approval, which goes to Congress for review, comes after weeks of complaints by Ukrainian authorities that its supplies of the interceptor missiles were dwindling.

"The proposed sale will improve Ukraine's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its integrated air and missile defense capabilities," the department said in a statement.

Patriot missiles are among the most important weapons Ukraine has to intercept Russian drones and missiles.

The statement did not provide an estimate for when the weapons could be delivered to Ukraine.

"This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political and economic stability in Europe," the State Department said.

US-Ukraine tensions spiked earlier this month after Washington struck a diesel fuel deal with Russia.

Ukraine also said that the US was slowing its access to satellite internet services and had stopped some intelligence sharing.

Tensions eased after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with US envoys in Oslo on October 20.

The State Department said the weapons sale would be paid for with donations from Ukraine's allies but not with US funds.