The United States has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine. The US State Department said on Friday that the deal is worth approximately $2.1 billion (around ₹19,133 crore). The approval is being viewed as a major step towards supplying Ukraine with defensive weapons during US President Donald Trump’s second term. However, despite the approval, Ukraine is unlikely to receive the missiles anytime soon. Arms deliveries typically take several years after a sale is approved. According to two people familiar with the US decision, production of these missiles has not yet begun. As a result, supplies to Ukraine may not be possible until the early 2030s.

Delays in missile deliveries have increased tensions between the United States and Ukraine. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country had been waiting for US approval for nearly a month. Russia has intensified attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and public areas, increasing Kyiv’s urgent need for these missiles.

Meanwhile, Trump has struck a diesel deal with Russia and criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump said Ukraine was unwilling to stop attacking Russian oil refineries. According to a person familiar with the US decision, Ukraine’s Defence Ministry has been urging the Pentagon to expedite the delivery of the missiles. The United States could supply missiles to Ukraine from its existing stockpiles and replenish its reserves later by manufacturing new ones.

According to the US State Department, Canada, Germany and Norway will provide funding for the deal. Money from the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan will also be used. The funding will be channelled through the US-led Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) programme. According to the Pentagon’s website, under this programme, allied countries provide funds to supply Ukraine with weapons, military services and training.

In August, $825 million was spent under the same programme to purchase 3,350 air-launched cruise missiles manufactured by Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire. Under the latest deal, US defence giant Lockheed Martin will play the leading role in manufacturing the Patriot missiles.

The United States has supplied large quantities of weapons to its allies and has also used such weapons during military operations in Iran. These developments have raised concerns about potential shortages of air-defence interceptors and precision-guided munitions.

In July, the US military awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion. According to the company, the agreement will enable it to triple production of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors by the end of 2030. At its facility in Camden, Arkansas, the company plans to increase its workforce from 1,200 to approximately 1,850 employees.

Lockheed Martin has also proposed a plan to manufacture 2,000 Patriot PAC-3 missiles annually. Pentagon officials are pressuring weapons manufacturers to accelerate production to meet growing demand. Earlier this year, initial agreements were also signed to increase missile manufacturing capacity.