The United States has approved the sale of 600 Patriot air defense missiles to Germany, the Pentagon announced on Thursday night.

The deal would cost an estimated $5 billion (€4.6 billion).

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for political and economic stability in Europe,” the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

“It will support Germany’s goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as interoperability with US and…