Defense & National Security — Ukraine gets approval for Patriot missile sale

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View Online Defense & National Security Defense & National Security PRESENTED BY  The Big Story  Ukraine gets approval for Patriot missile sale The State Department approved on Friday a possible $2.1 billion sale of 500 Patriot interceptor missiles to Ukraine that is funded entirely by U.S. partners and allies.  © Getty The Trump administration greenlit the sale of 500 PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, including classified and unclassified spare parts   "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 in the press release.    Ukraine will pay for the purchase with donations from Norway, Germany and Canada via the JUMPSTART program and national funds. No U.S. funds are involved in the transaction.    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Patriot missile interceptors are paramount to shooting down Russian missiles and drones targeting the country's cities.    Zelensky has previously accused the Pentagon of delaying deliveries of missile interceptors that other nations bought for Kyiv.    “We have been waiting for nearly a month for Mr. Hegseth to sign off on missiles for Patriots and NASAMS,” Zelensky said this week.    Two weeks ago, Hegseth told reporters that the Pentagon has not changed its posture toward Ukraine, but noted that "we want to make sure our guys have the most possible" interceptors.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Filip Timotija— your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR Palantir's software helps keep U.S. troops safe. Protecting America’s frontline requires decision advantage. That’s why the U.S. military uses Palantir’s software to surface critical information to the right decision-makers at the right time. Learn how Palantir’s software supports U.S. defense and national security.  Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and in the future: Navy airman recounts USS Lincoln leap: ‘If I was supposed to die then I would have just been dead’ One of the eight sailors who attempted suicide by jumping overboard during the grueling deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group is speaking out after he was effectively punished for the incident.   Navy airman Nicholas McKelvey, 19, jumped overboard on Aug. 3, 255 days into the ship’s deployment, The New York Times reported. 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Discover how Palantir’s technology empowers the U.S. military.    On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  The Center for Strategic and International Studies will host a discussion on Monday at 9 a.m. ET on "All About the Base | AATB on Location: Conversations from AUSA."  The American Enterprise Institute will host an event on Monday at 9 a.m. ET on "Beneath the Fab: Securing the Semiconductor Materials Layer."  The Hudson Institute will host an event on Monday at 2 p.m. ET on "AI Power and National Security Conference: Open Models, Governance, and US-China Military Competition."  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: The Wild Rise of a Trump-Backed Drone Company, The Wall Street Journal reports.  Pentagon tells Europeans to cool their rhetoric on Russia, sources say, Reuters reports.  Inside the U.S. Military’s Open-Ended Mission to Keep Gulf Oil Flowing, The Wall Street Journal reports.  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Sabato’s Crystal Ball shifts 2 Senate races toward Democrats Election forecaster Sabato’s Crystal Ball moved the Senate races in Minnesota and Louisiana toward Democrats in the final days leading up to the Nov. … Read more Cruz warns GOP could lose 8 Senate seats, get swept in Texas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is warning that Republicans could lose as many as eight Senate seats in the midterm elections and get swept in all of the statewide … Read more Opinions in The Hill  Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: Drone warfare will be won at the operator level What Orson Welles’s ‘War of the Worlds’ broadcast tells us, 88 years later Five minutes to doomsday: US and world leaders’ scary talk of looming disaster   You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Check out The Hill's Defense page for the latest coverage. Like this newsletter? Take a moment to view all our topical emails here 📩 Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  400 N Capitol Street NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20001 Copyright © 1998 - 2025 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

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