The European Commission approved a €6.1 billion ($7.1 billion) tranche of defense funding for Ukraine on Sept. 11, including exemptions allowing Kyiv to use the money to purchase US-made PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot air defense systems. The approval allows Ukraine to draw on the EU’s €90 billion ($104 billion) support loan to purchase PAC-3 interceptors, among the few weapons capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The decision does not, however, mean the missiles will be delivered immediately. Ukraine faces a global shortage of Patriot interceptors as it prepares for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure. European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius confirmed the decision at a press conference in Brussels on Friday, according to Ukrinform correspondent, saying the Commission had formally approved the package after EU member states backed the measures earlier this week. “Today, the Commission officially approved €6.1 billion for Ukraine for air defense, drones and missiles from the Ukraine Support Loan,” Kubilius said. The latest approval means the EU has now allocated all €28.3 billion ($32.9 billion) earmarked for Ukraine’s defense under the support loan this year. So far, €8.4 billion ($9.7 billion) has been disbursed. Kubilius said another €4.7 billion ($5.5 billion) is currently being processed.