Ukraine sale of 500 Patriot missiles cleared by US

The Trump administration approved a proposed sale of 500 Patriot missiles to Ukraine, the State Department said Friday, sending the plan to Congress for review.

The approval follows weeks of complaints by Ukrainian authorities that their supplies of Patriot interceptor missiles were dwindling.

The State Department said the proposed sale would improve Ukraine's integrated air and missile defence capabilities against current and future threats. It did not give an estimated delivery date.

Patriot missiles are among Ukraine's most important weapons for intercepting Russian drones and missiles.

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

US-Ukraine tensions spiked earlier this month after Washington struck a diesel fuel deal with Russia. Ukraine also said the United States 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.