Kyiv, Oct. 31 -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has welcomed the US State Department's decision authorising Kyiv's procurement of Patriot interceptors to counter incoming Russian ballistic missiles, while pressing Washington for an accelerated delivery timeline to meet immediate winter security needs.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy described the clearance as a "strong decision", noting that 500 PAC-3 interceptors constitute a substantial inventory that "could make for a highly effective defence package" during the winter season. However, he cautioned that current stipulations dictate that deliveries may begin "only in a few years".

"We are asking our American partners to find a solution for the time when there is a real danger and a...