WASHINGTON — The U.S. is poised to send Patriot air and missile defense batteries to Ukraine pending final approval from President Joe Biden, two U.S. officials said Tuesday, fulfilling a key demand from Ukrainian leaders.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urgently sought the system, produced by Raytheon Technologies Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp., saying Patriots are needed to counter the relentless barrage of Russian missiles that have targeted Ukraine’s military as well as civilian and energy infrastructure.
The decision to send the Patriot system may come within days, one of the officials said, but still requires a final sign-off by Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. The tentative decision was reported earlier by CNN. Asked for comment Tuesday, a State Department spokesman said Biden has been clear that the U.S. will prioritize sending air defense systems to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian aggression.
