December 22, 2022

The Pentagon is considering training the Ukrainian armed forces to operate the Patriot missile defense system at a military base in the United States, according to two Defense Department officials.

Since Russia’s February invasion, the Ukrainian armed forces have completed training on a host of different NATO-provided weapons systems, including the U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, in eastern Europe, Germany and the United Kingdom. But until this point, none of the training has been done in the United States.

Although no final decision has been made, the news that the Defense Department of Defense is considering conducting the training stateside comes a day after the Biden administration announced that it would provide one Patriot battery — a sophisticated air defense system designed to shoot down incoming missiles and aircraft — to Ukraine to help defend against Russian attacks.

Read more: