Surface-to-air missile launcher of the Patriot system. [Photo Credit: Reuters]

The US State Department said on Friday it had approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an ​estimated $2.1 billion, in what would be one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to ‌Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.

Ukraine will pay for the interceptor missiles with contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway routed through a program called US JUMPSTART, along with national funds financed by the European Union’s Ukraine Support Loan, the State Department said in ​a statement.

The program uses donations from allies to buy weapons, services and training for Ukraine to support its ​self-defense following Russia’s invasion, according to a Pentagon website.

Ukraine has long said it urgently needs ⁠more missile interceptors to knock down the growing waves of missiles Russia’s military fires at the country. The Patriot missile ​system is the most effective weapon to counter fast-moving ballistic missiles.

On Thursday, a Russian drone strike killed at least 14 people ​on a crowded rail platform in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, while five died in daytime strikes on two other provincial cities and a late-evening missile strike killed one person in the capital Kyiv, officials said.

Delayed missile deliveries have added to Ukraine’s tensions with the US ​after President Donald Trump announced a diesel deal with Russia and criticised Zelenskiy for Ukraine’s unwillingness to stop attacks on ​Russian refineries.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said earlier this week that Ukraine had been waiting for almost a month for the US to sign off ‌on critical ⁠missile supplies, as Russia stepped up attacks on energy and civilian infrastructure.

Ukraine will not receive the missile interceptors quickly.

Weapons sales typically take years to fulfill, but given Ukraine’s urgent need for defensive weapons these Patriot missiles may move to Kyiv on a faster timeline.

The JUMPSTART program was used in August to buy 3,350 air-launched cruise missiles worth $825 million made by ​Zone 5 Technologies and CoAspire.