The United States has transferred approximately 90 Patriot air defense interceptors from Israel to Poland for delivery to Ukraine, three sources familiar with the operation told Axios, marking a potential shift in Israel’s traditionally cautious approach to military support for Kyiv.
The transfer represents the most significant weapons delivery involving Israeli assets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on 24 February 2022, coming at a crucial moment as Kyiv struggles to defend its critical infrastructure against Russian attacks.
Israel has historically maintained a delicate balance in its approach to the war in Ukraine. While providing humanitarian aid and a missile alert system, Israel has refrained from directly supplying military weapons to Ukraine, citing complex geopolitical considerations, particularly its strategic need to maintain relations with Russia to ensure operational freedom in Syria against Iranian threats.
The path to this transfer began after the Israeli Air Force officially decommissioned its Patriot system in April 2024, following more than three decades of service since its initial deployment during the first Gulf War. The system had become less critical to Israel’s defense as the country developed its own sophisticated air defense capabilities, with most Patriot batteries relegated to training purposes or storage.
Ukrainian officials saw an opportunity in this decommissioning, approaching both the US and Israel with a proposal to transfer the missiles, sources tell Axios. However, the initiative faced months of hesitation from Israel, which worried about potential Russian retaliation, possibly through increased weapons supplies to Iran.
A Ukrainian official told Axios that discussions over the transfer became intertwined with negotiations about the annual pilgrimage of ultra-Orthodox Israelis to the Ukrainian city of Uman, where a famous Rabbi is buried. According to this official, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declined to discuss pilgrimage arrangements until the Patriot deal received approval, though Netanyahu’s office has denied any connection between these matters.
The official drew parallels to a previous US transfer of artillery shells from Israeli emergency storage to Ukraine two years ago.
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This development aligns with other recent shifts in Israel’s stance.
On 21 January 2025, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel proposed transferring Russian-made weapons, previously captured from groups like Hezbollah, to Ukraine. This initiative reflected growing concerns over Iran-Russia military cooperation, which poses security challenges to both nations.
Recent days have seen US Air Force C-17 planes arriving at a southern Israeli air base before departing for Rzeszów in Eastern Poland, a crucial hub for weapons movement into Ukraine. Sources indicate the transferred interceptors are compatible with Ukraine’s existing Patriot batteries, while additional equipment such as radars will first undergo refurbishment in the United States.
The development comes as both countries maintain high-level communications. In their most recent conversation, Zelenskyy and Netanyahu discussed various topics, including the Gaza hostage situation. Zelenskyy confirmed via Twitter their agreement to maintain close contact, particularly regarding coordination with the United States and President Trump.
A spokesperson for Netanyahu told Axios the prime minister didn’t object to the decommissioning of the Patriot system and its return to the US, while a spokesperson for the Israeli prime minister’s office confirmed a Patriot system had been returned to the US, adding “it is not known to us whether it was delivered to Ukraine.” The Pentagon declined to comment for the Axios story, as did a spokesperson for US European Command.
Related:
- “We captured a lot of Russian weapons from HAMAS, may send them to Ukraine,” says Israeli politician
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- Israel considers sending captured Russian-made weapons to Ukraine, embassy reports
- Israel may have started sending Russian-made weapons to Ukraine
