Ukraine To Receive Patriot Battery From Israel: Report

Ukraine will soon get another Patriot air-defense system as one such battery based in Israel will be sent to the country after it is refurbished, with talks underway to send another from Germany or Greece, The New York Times reported.

Four current and former U.S. officials told the outlet of the transfer, which was secured in an agreement made between the Biden administration and Israel in September, before President Trump won the presidential election. 

The Patriot coming from Israel is currently being overhauled for Ukraine as it is an older model, and it is expected to be delivered to Ukraine by this summer, two of the U.S. officials said.

The officials also said Western allies are discussing the possibility of Germany or Greece giving Ukraine another Patriot, a roughly $1 billion system that takes about 90 troops to operate.

Even if another country wants to send Ukraine a Patriot, the U.S. government must approve any transfers of the American-made system due to U.S. export rules for sensitive defense equipment.

The National Security Council didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

A Defense official told The Hill that “the Department of Defense continues to provide equipment to Ukraine from previously authorized PDA and USAI packages.” 

News of the delivery follows intensified Russian air attacks on Ukraine, including an April 24 barrage of 70 missiles and 145 drones mainly targeting Kyiv that killed at least 12 people. 

The United States first sent a Patriot system to Ukraine in April 2023 and the country now has eight, though only six are in use as the other two are being refurbished, according to the Times.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly asked for more Patriots to defend his country, even offering to buy the system, but has been rebuffed by Trump. 

Trump in early March even paused all military aid to Ukraine following a contentious Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February. 

But after Russia intensified air attacks on the country in recent weeks, Trump has publicly softened his stance toward Kyiv, calling on Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop hitting civilian areas.

Trump and Zelensky aslo met on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome late last month, and the U.S. and Ukraine signed a minerals deal last week - setting the country up for more U.S. military aid.

While the minerals deal makes no mention of security guarantees for Ukraine, it does mean the U.S. could ship the country more weapons if a peace deal with Russia is not reached. Washington has been pushing a peace deal between the two countries since February, but talks have stalled.

Zelensky on Saturday told reporters in Kyiv that the minerals agreement could mean more air-defense systems for Ukraine.

Kyiv also is still receiving weapons authorized under President Biden, though that lethal aid is expected to run out this summer.

This story was updated at 1:20 p.m.