The US has approved the sale ⁠of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles ⁠to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1bn, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy has warned deliveries could take years and stockpiles were needed now to counter Russian ballistic missile attacks.

“The proposed sale will improve Ukraine’s capability to meet current and future threats by improving its integrated air and missile defense capabilities,” the US state department said in a statement on Friday.

The statement did not provide an estimate for when the weapons could be delivered to Ukraine.

Zelenskyy praised the “strong decision by the US state department” but said in a post on X early on Saturday: “However, it has been stipulated that deliveries may begin ONLY IN A FEW YEARS.…