BUCHAREST, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Romania's coalition

government approved a draft law on Monday enabling the donation

of a Patriot missile defence system to Ukraine and sent it to

parliament for a final vote.

Romania, a NATO member since 2004, shares a 650-km

(400-mile) border with Ukraine and has had Russian drone

fragments stray into its territory repeatedly as Moscow attacks

Ukrainian ports just across the Danube River border.

Bucharest said in June that it would donate one of its two

operational Patriot systems to Ukraine on condition that allies

replace it with a similar air defence system.

It is part of a delivery of five such systems and other

strategic air defence units pledged by NATO states to Kyiv as it

battles Russia's invasion.

"After parliament approves the law, the government will be

able to issue the decision that makes the donation operational,"

government spokesman Mihai Constantin said.

The draft law also states that Romania will send letters of

offer and acceptance to the U.S. for the replacement of the

donated battery, and expects to pay roughly $60 million in taxes

and fees.

Romania signed a $4 billion deal to buy Patriots, built by

RTX Corp ( RTX ), in 2017, its biggest procurement contract to

date. The first shipment was delivered in 2020. Romania has

received four systems so far, with two operational.