The Trump administration has approved the sale of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles to Ukraine, providing a potentially powerful tool to Kyiv as it continues to face a relentless assault by Russia.
The announcement of the proposed $825 million sale Thursday comes as diplomatic efforts to end the war have yet to yield a result and following a deadly night of Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital.
It was announced after President Donald Trump met this month with Russian President Vladimir Putin and separately with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Although the Trump administration has approved a number of sales of equipment to sustain existing weapons, this appears to be the first major arms sale of new weapons to Ukraine announced by the administration.
A source familiar said that if the sale is concluded as expected, the missiles – which have a range of 150-280 miles – could be delivered later this year.
It is unclear whether there will be restrictions on their use.
“Ukraine will use funding from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway and Foreign Military Financing from the United States for this purchase,” the notice from the State Department said. “The ERAM is an example of working together with our NATO allies to develop a capable and scalable system capable of being delivered on a fast timeline.”
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” it said.
