THE UNITED STATES has approved a potential $2.68 billion (€2.34 billion) sale of air defence equipment to Ukraine on Friday, after Kyiv made repeated pleas for support to fend off Russian attacks.

The State Department said in a congressional notification that it made “a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Ukraine” for buying air defence development upgrades and related equipment and services.

Kyiv has requested to buy equipment including multiple types of missiles, launchers, counter-drone radars and trailers, according to the State Department.

The proposed sale is subject to congressional review.

“If the proposed purchase is concluded, Ukraine would finance it using a combination of European contributions and US Foreign Military Financing appropriated during the prior Administration,” the State Department said.

US President Donald Trump said this month he would ask Europeans to repay the American aid provided to Ukraine under the administration of his predecessor Joe Biden.

Trump has long demanded that Europeans shoulder more of the cost of Western support for Ukraine.

Friday’s proposal, which the State Department estimated would cost $2.68 billion, came as Trump signed a bill authorising new sanctions designed to squeeze Russia.

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv has seen a surge in Russian attacks, which its air defences have struggled to repel due to ammunition shortages.

Moscow is seeking to drain Ukrainian morale and intimidate Kyiv’s European allies at a time when the Kremlin believes it has the advantage in weapons production, analysts say.

The war in the Middle East has also hampered US-mediated talks on ending the conflict, taking up much of Washington’s time and munitions.

But even before that conflict, which broke out in February, Russia and Ukraine remained at odds over the key issue of territory.

Ukraine has proposed freezing the conflict along the current front lines.

Russia has rejected this, saying it wants the whole of the Donetsk region, despite it being partly controlled by Ukraine – a demand Kyiv says is unacceptable.

Sanctions on Russia

Meanwhile, Trump has signed legislation authorising new sanctions targeting Russia’s energy and defence sectors over its war in Ukraine. 

The measures target Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ and give Trump powers to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries who are major buyers of Russian oil and gas, which could impact China and India.

The Chinese Minister of Commerce reacted, saying it reserved the right to “take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard China’s national sovereignty and development interests, as well as the legitimate and just rights of Chinese companies.” 

Zelenskyy has hailed the bill as an “extremely powerful tool that can stop this terrorist war and bring Russia to the point where it has to make peace”.