On Thursday, the US revealed that it had approved a $5 billion sale to Germany, which has given Ukraine several of the most cutting-edge air defense systems, for up to 600 Patriot missiles and associated hardware.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement that the planned sale of the PAC-3 MSE missiles “will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe.”
It “will improve Germany’s capability to meet current and future threats and increase the defensive capabilities of its military. It will support Germany’s goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as interoperability with US and NATO forces,” the statement added.
The DSCA sent Congress the necessary notice on Thursday, after the State Department authorized the potential sale of the missiles to Germany. Congress still has to approve the deal.
Ukraine, which has been subjected to frequent Russian missile barrages and drone attacks aimed at its infrastructure and is in dire need of more air defenses, has received multiple Patriot systems from Germany.
Berlin abandoned its customarily pacifist posture following the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, and it is now Kyiv’s second-largest source of military aid, behind Washington.
