US to send refurbished Patriot air defense system from Israel to Ukraine, NYT reports
A Patriot air defense system based in Israel will be transferred to Ukraine after refurbishment, the New York Times reported on May 4, citing four unnamed current and former U.S. officials.
According to the publication, Western allies are also discussing the logistics of supplying additional systems from Germany or Greece as Russia escalates its attacks across Ukraine.
The sources declined to go into detail about U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on the decision or clarify whether the move was initiated before he took office, during former President Joe Biden's administration.
The move comes amid a sharp increase in Russian strikes that have caused numerous casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Sumy, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Kyiv.
Kyiv has consistently pressed Western partners to bolster Ukraine's air defenses, warning that its current capabilities are insufficient to counter the scale of Russian missile and drone assaults.
The Patriot system, a U.S.-made surface-to-air missile platform, is widely recognized for its high-precision detection, tracking, and interception of aircraft, cruise, and ballistic missiles.
According to the New York Times, Ukraine currently has eight Patriot systems, of which only six are operational. The remaining two are reportedly undergoing refurbishment.
President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's urgent need for air defenses in an April 13 interview with CBS News, saying Kyiv is ready to purchase 10 U.S.-made Patriot systems for $15 billion to shield densely populated cities.
"We will find the money and pay for everything," Zelensky said, emphasizing Ukraine's intention to buy, not request, additional systems.
Despite Kyiv's appeals, Trump dismissed the request on April 14, accusing Zelensky of "always looking to purchase missiles" and falsely blaming Ukraine for instigating the war.
Trump's tone on Ukraine has shifted in recent weeks. On April 24, he criticized a Russian strike on Kyiv that killed at least nine civilians and injured 87, calling it "not necessary" and urging Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the attacks.
Shortly after taking office, Trump threatened to impose tariffs and sanctions on Russia to force negotiations, saying "we can do it the easy way or the hard way," though no measures have materialized so far.
Trump has recently questioned Russia's intentions to seek peace, as Moscow continues to reject a complete ceasefire agreement, intensifying attacks against Ukrainian civilian areas.
