Pakistan, Nov. 1 -- The US State Department said it approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine for an estimated $2.1 billion, one of the most significant steps to supply defensive weapons to Kyiv since the start of the second Trump administration.

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

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-...